Abolaji Adebayo 
…warns telcos to improve quality of service within two weeks
The Association of Telephone, Cable TV and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS-Nigeria) has finally supported the 50 per cent increase in telecom tariffs, saying it is not a party to those threatening to sue the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
According to the association, those who are threatening court action were not part of the recent stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja.
In a statement signed by its national President, Prince ‘Sina Bilesanmi, the association said though it had earlier gone against the tariff increase, maintained that it should be between 5 and 15 per cent if it should be increased at all, it said it later considered supporting the 50 per cent announced by the NCC based on the economic situation for the sustainability of the industry and economic growth.
“We made the decision to support the new tariff adjustment because we want sustainability of the telecoms operation and we want our economy to grow more than how it was before.
“We also want job safety of thousands of personnel working with telecoms operators and the system.”
The statement further read: “ATCIS membership is not part of those who are threatening to go to the law court to challenge the 50% increment on tariffs as announced by the NCC.
“ATCIS is in support of the recently announced 50 per cent tariff adjustment because, since 2016, ATCIS has been rejecting the request of the telco operators to have the tariff increased because the operators have failed to consult, engage, enlighten and not respecting members of the ATCIS.
Instead of the telcos aligning themselves to the subscribers, they preferred to lobby at the National Assembly and the NCC, but with good management of the ATCIS, we said no, and we kept on writing, until the one we wrote which made the NCC to call us for a stakeholders meeting on Thursday January 9th, 2025 in Abuja.
“At the meeting in Abuja, ATCIS was represented and other stakeholders, although no increase of tariff decision was taken at the meeting.”
However, the Association has warned that if the telecom operators refuse to give the subscribers good quality service as promised within two weeks after the implementation of the new tariff, it would drag them to the wall.
“We’ve seen the good intention of the NCC teams and they’ve started implementing it.
“The NCC has promised good quality of service, if we allow the 50 per cent to go on they are ready to get the ball rolling. We assure them of our support if they fulfil their promise of good quality service but if they fail to fulfil the quality of good service after the implementation of the 50 per cent tariff increment, two weeks later, we will come back and let all Nigerians know what we will do.
“We can’t be threatened and we can’t betray the trust all Nigerians entrusted us with like other people threatening the government; if anybody is ready to go court, let them go but count ATCIS out.”
The ATCIS President, therefore, urged the NCC to continue engaging the telecoms operators, subscribers advocacy, and the journalists in monthly meetings, from where “we could have the knowledge of what the telcos are passing through and the advocacy body could support them using our avenue to get their demand from the government.”
He also pleaded with the subscribers to be patient with the telcos to work on their quality of service.
“Let us wait and continue to pray for the NCC and telecom operators to fulfil their agreement. If we can’t see good quality of service from the operators, they will see the other side of us,” he said.
