The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has instructed telecommunications operators to streamline their tariff plans, bundles, and promotional activities.
Nigerians have recently voiced concerns about the rapid depletion of their airtime and data plans, which used to last longer. This frustration comes amid telecommunications companies’ requests for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to approve higher tariffs.
On Monday, NCC spokesman Reuben Muoka announced that the regulator has directed all telecom operators to provide subscribers with clear, straightforward, and accurate information regarding the costs of voice, SMS, and data services.
“This guideline results from consultations with industry stakeholders, including Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Consumer Focus Groups, alongside extensive data analysis on consumer preferences and expectations,” Muoka stated.
The directive, communicated to telcos such as MTN and Airtel on July 29, 2024, mandates that MNOs publish a detailed table showcasing the features of their tariff plans and bundle offers. This table must include all necessary information for subscribers to make informed decisions, such as add-ons, their prices, opt-in and opt-out procedures, terms and conditions for renewal, and rollover policies.
“The aim of these simplification guidelines is to reduce the complexity of tariff plans and bundles, ensure transparency and fairness in promotional aspects of tariff plans, protect consumer interests by providing clear and understandable tariff information, and promote fair competition among licensees by standardizing tariff structures,” Muoka explained.
Service providers are also required to display all relevant tariff information, including plan names, prices, validity periods, price-per-second rates for on-network, off-network, and international calls, expected data speeds, and fair usage policies.
Operators are allowed to maintain existing bonus-led tariff plans until December 31, 2024. During this period, they are expected to educate and transition all subscribers to the simplified tariff plans.
As of December 2023, Nigeria had over 224 million subscribers, according to official NCC data. MTN leads with over 87 million subscribers, accounting for 38.79% of the total market share. Globacom and Airtel each have 61 million subscribers, while 9mobile has 13.9 million users.
