In a bid to foster transparency in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a set of regulatory reforms targeting clearer tariff structures for consumers.
The new guidelines, set to take effect in the next few months, will require telecom operators to provide detailed information about their billing rates and terms, giving users a clearer understanding of their service costs.
Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the NCC, unveiled the initiative during the 93rd Telecoms Consumer Parliament in Abuja. He emphasized the significance of these reforms in response to increasing complaints from Nigerians regarding ambiguous data usage fees and the quick consumption of purchased data bundles.
Maida expressed, “We strive to enable consumers to make more informed choices regarding their data usage and billing. This level of transparency will tackle prevalent worries about data consumption by offering customers easy-to-understand tables that detail the costs and conditions of their data plans.”
As internet usage in Nigeria continues to rise rapidly, the demand for clarity has grown more pressing. With over 132 million internet connections, the country’s digital economy is expanding at an impressive rate. Nigerians spend an average of 4 hours and 20 minutes each day on social media, which is considerably higher than the global average.
In 2024, Nigeria’s daily data consumption skyrocketed to an impressive 336 gigabytes per second, reflecting a 39 percent rise from the prior year and highlighting the importance of data in the lives of Nigerian consumers.
According to Maida, the NCC has issued a “Guidance on Tariff Simplification” that will require operators to provide straightforward, detailed information on data plans and pricing structures.
He mentioned that these alterations are part of the Commission’s continuous initiatives to safeguard consumers and improve their confidence in telecommunications services.
