Posted on: 10:00 Wed, 30 Nov 2016

This is an unofficial explanation about the unprecedented increment in the prices of data services as directed by the Federal Government.



An official of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given reason behind the directive to the five big telecoms operators in the country to increase their data tariffs from Thursday, December 1, 2016, according to the DailyTrust.

The reason is reportedly in order to allow small operators and new entrants to acquire market share and operate profitably.

The NCC official who spoke on condition of anonymity on Monday said the regulator came up with the new data regime after some new entrants into the market complained that there was no way they could break even if they operated on same data regime with the likes of MTN, Glo, Etisalat and Airtel.

He said NCC yielded to their pressure when last month it notified the operators of the new rate.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, on Tuesday urged the Federal Government not to increase the cost of data to avoid further pressure on mobile telephone users.