By Abubakar Yunusa
MTN Nigeria has set new data prices, increasing its 15 gigabytes (GB) weekly data plan from N2,000 to N6,000.
The sharp increase, which represents a 200 percent rise, has sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many users lamenting the growing cost of living and the financial strain on internet subscribers.
Check by Peoples Daily showed that other data plans have also been adjusted.
The company’s 75GB plan, which previously cost N16,400, has been raised to N20,000.
Similarly, the 25GB plan has increased from N6,500 to N9,000, while the 20GB plan, which was N5,500, now costs N7,500.
However, while MTN has commenced the adjustment, checks showed that the data prices of Airtel and Glo have not changed.
The development follows the recent approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) allowing telecommunications operators to increase their tariffs up to 50 percent.
On February 2, Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said telecommunications companies (telcos) will issue their tariffs differently and are filing, reviewing, and obtaining approvals from the NCC.
Also, Adebayo said the tariff adjustment is essential for the survival of the telecommunications sector, stressing that the government should not rely on the sector to subsidise others.
While telecom operators argue that the tariff hike is necessary to sustain infrastructure and improve service quality, Nigerians continue to express concerns about affordability and the rising cost of essential services.
Taking to X, several users have expressed their frustration over the development.
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