Tariff hike may increase Nigeria’s telecom sector investment to $1bn – NCC

During a media briefing in Lagos, the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, stated that the recent tariff hike in January could potentially lead to a significant increase in investment in Nigeria's telecom sector, reaching up to $1 billion. The decision to reverse the stagnant tariff trend has unlocked new capital, allowing operators to plan infrastructure rollouts across the country.

Dr. Maida emphasized the importance of returning to market-driven pricing principles, which has already resulted in a surge of investment commitments. He highlighted that for almost a decade, mobile operators were operating under price controls, hindering their ability to adjust tariffs despite rising costs, inflation, and currency depreciation.

This shift has now enabled fresh infrastructure spending, with an estimated cumulative investment of close to $1 billion by 2025.