A fallout of a meeting between stakeholders in the telecommunications ecosystem and the chief regulator in Lagos, indicates that there may be disruptions in services as the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has argued that the current tariff regime by operators may not be sustainable.
ALTON, the umbrella body of telecommunications companies in Nigeria, said price review should be considered in line with the rising operating cost, adding that operators are burdened by 52 taxes across the country.
This disclosure came on the heels of a stakeholders’ meeting with Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) Dr. Aminu Maida, where the chairman of ALTON, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, further noted that the current pricing regime is no longer sustainable. “That is the fact, with the way things are going, I am not sure we can sustain this sector with the current pricing regime,” Adebayo said.
He also urged the EVC to intervene in the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debts owed them by Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), which he noted has now hit N200 billion.
He stressed that the association would not hesitate blocking debtor banks from accessing the service if the total debt is not paid.
While assuring the NCC EVC of the support of stakeholders in the sector, he said it is important to put a timeline on resolutions reached at the meeting.
Also speaking at the meeting, the President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Anthony Emoekpere, said there is a need to bridge the telecom infrastructure in the country as part of measures to improve the quality of service.
The NCC boss while assuring the stakeholders of his support and commitment to the growth of the sector, said his action would be guided by the Renewed Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and the policy guidelines enumerated by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Dr. Bosun Tijani.
He further noted that the government sees the telecom sector as critical to the economy, and urged the operators to improve the quality of their services as well as boost job creation in the country.
Telcos Warn On Negative Impact Of Rising Operating Cost, Bank Debts
A fallout of a meeting between stakeholders in the telecommunications ecosystem and the chief regulator in Lagos, indicates that there may be disruptions in services as the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has argued that the current tariff regime by operators may not be sustainable.
ALTON, the umbrella body of telecommunications companies in Nigeria, said price review should be considered in line with the rising operating cost, adding that operators are burdened by 52 taxes across the country.
This disclosure came on the heels of a stakeholders’ meeting with Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) Dr. Aminu Maida, where the chairman of ALTON, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, further noted that the current pricing regime is no longer sustainable. “That is the fact, with the way things are going, I am not sure we can sustain this sector with the current pricing regime,” Adebayo said.
He also urged the EVC to intervene in the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debts owed them by Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), which he noted has now hit N200 billion.
He stressed that the association would not hesitate blocking debtor banks from accessing the service if the total debt is not paid.
While assuring the NCC EVC of the support of stakeholders in the sector, he said it is important to put a timeline on resolutions reached at the meeting.
Also speaking at the meeting, the President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Anthony Emoekpere, said there is a need to bridge the telecom infrastructure in the country as part of measures to improve the quality of service.
The NCC boss while assuring the stakeholders of his support and commitment to the growth of the sector, said his action would be guided by the Renewed Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and the policy guidelines enumerated by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Dr. Bosun Tijani.
He further noted that the government sees the telecom sector as critical to the economy, and urged the operators to improve the quality of their services as well as boost job creation in the country.
