The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to suspend the planned telecommunications tariff hike until service quality improves.
The motion, moved by Rep. Obuku Offorji during plenary on Tuesday, calls on Minister Bosun Tijani and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to reconsider the impending rate increases amid mounting complaints from consumers.
During a recent stakeholders meeting, the Minister indicated that telecom operators were lobbying for tariff increases of up to 100 percent to offset rising operational costs and investments in network expansion.
However, the lawmaker criticized these arguments, noting that the proposed hike would only worsen financial hardships for Nigerians already struggling with economic pressures.
Offorji emphasized that affordable connectivity is essential for sectors such as education, healthcare, and digital banking, and that any tariff increase should only be implemented once service delivery has demonstrably improved.
The National Association of Telecom Subscribers has also condemned the proposed rate hikes, calling them insensitive. Lawmakers warned that if telecom companies fail to enhance service quality, the government must hold them accountable before imposing any new charges.
