Nigeria’s wobbling economy has spread across all aspect of life, as telecommunication companies in Nigeria hike in data price causes public ire. The hike in mobile data network has double down beyond what they used to charge. Nigeria’s largest network provider, MTN, has increased mobile call to N13 per minute and SMS to N6 as opposed to N4 they used to charge, outrageous data plan of 15GB weekly of N2000 to N6000. Airtel, another network provider in Nigeria has joined the suit as the public outcry sounds louder. In a time many Nigerian struggle to meet up with daily necessities of life, the effects of some government’s policies towards economic recovery in the country is recording little or no results and poor masses have began to ask questions.
Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) had prior to hike issued a notice of 50% increase but Nigeria’s network providers didn’t adhere to the effect and telecoms have justified the needed increase to meet up with the rising cost. Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a warning for the planned strike scheduled to hold March 1, 2025 against the outrageous hike in data prices, and possible shutdown of the telecoms to express their ire against the hike. In a communique issued by NLC, which accused telecom operators of breach of public trust by implementing the hike in price without conclusion of 10-man review panel deliberations, breach of public trust is no longer a news in Nigeria, as Nigerians future in many occasions have been always decided without their consent.
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Online businesses which formed the backbone of many young Nigerians to cushion the effect of hardship and increase their economic growth has hit the rock bottom, the cost having enough data that requires constant posting, and keeping up with customers demands will be massively be affected. Students that rely on online resources to make research and improve their knowledge will be affected, it is a big hit on human development in general, and Nigerians have been economically stretched beyond elasticity, in this kind of economic set up, it can only get worse and poor masses will be at the receiving end of this heavy grim.
MTN, the largest network operators have justified the increase citing devaluation of naira and inflation which has hit the country, and have alleged it is only way the it can be saved from the economic plagues. With over 77million local users in Nigeria, they face backlash and possible shutdown from NLC, although security agencies have warned NLC to shelve the idea of the shutdown network provider equipment, as it would amount to threat to national security considering its strategic role. Nigerians are crossroads over economic revival, the wait had continued to linger without desired future insight, Nigerians, especially the poor masses have exhausted all the hope they have for positive change in the economy.
