House of Reps wants 50% telecom tariff hike stopped

Published 2 months ago• 5 minute read

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Victoria from Techpoint here,

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Telecom prices in Nigeria just shot up, and people are not happy about it. MTN has already rolled out a 50% price hike on data, and Airtel has quietly increased things like SMS rates by the same amount. But now, the House of Representatives is stepping in, telling the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Minister of Communications to hit pause on these hikes.

Lawmakers are saying that with inflation soaring and fuel subsidies gone, Nigerians don’t need any more financial stress right now. Hon. Oboku Oforji from Bayelsa kicked off the debate, pointing out that while telecom companies claim rising operational costs are behind the price hikes, this is honestly the worst time to do it. Inflation hit 34.6% in November 2024, and small businesses are struggling to stay afloat. Raising telecom prices now would just make it worse.

Oforji also stressed that small businesses rely on affordable telecom services to survive, and even a 10% increase in costs could cut their profits by 7%, pushing many to close shop. He argued that telecom companies should focus on fixing their terrible network issues before even thinking about raising prices. Since many Nigerians rely on mobile data for work, increasing prices when the service is already bad will just make things harder.

Another lawmaker, Billy Osawaru from Edo State, backed him up, calling out telecom operators for asking people to pay more without improving service quality. He also pointed out that Nigerians are often forced to carry multiple phones because no network is reliable enough on its own. “In developed countries, this isn’t a thing. Here, you need two phones because if one network fails, maybe the other will work,” he said.

On the other hand, the telecom companies are defending the hike, saying it’s necessary to keep the industry alive. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), warned that underinvestment in the sector is already causing problems. He said if nothing changes, network quality will get worse, and nobody wants to see the telecom sector collapse. He admitted people’s frustrations are valid, but said the price hike is unavoidable.

Now, it’s a waiting game — will the lawmakers succeed in stopping the hike, or will Nigerians just have to deal with it? Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) isn’t sitting back. They’ve called for a nationwide boycott of mobile telecom services starting today, Thursday, February 13, 2025, to protest the 50% price hike.

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The union is angry that telecom companies went ahead with the increase, even though there was an agreement with the Federal Government not to do so. Looks like this battle isn’t over yet!

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has just launched a high-tech distribution centre for Zipline, the global drone delivery service, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Commissioned by Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, alongside Bayelsa’s Governor Douye Diri, this facility will serve as Zipline’s main hub in the state. It’s fully equipped with top-notch warehousing, temperature-controlled storage, and inventory management systems to enable fast, on-demand medical deliveries.

From here, Zipline will supply hundreds of health facilities and community centres across its massive 38,000 sq km coverage area, ensuring that even the most remote areas get the medical supplies they need, when they need them.

This is a huge step for Bayelsa and Nigeria, especially as global aid funding cuts continue to affect healthcare services. Since launching in Bayelsa in 2023, Zipline has already delivered over a million vaccine doses and more than 71,000 units of essential medicines.

They’ve also been a key player in health campaigns, distributing supplements and medications to 73 out of 83 wards across the state. Before this, Zipline worked with Kaduna state to deliver ultra-cold COVID-19 vaccines by drone.

Beyond healthcare, Zipline is expanding its footprint. In 2022, they teamed up with Jumia to speed up e-commerce deliveries. That same year, they partnered with the Rwandan government to set up delivery stations across rural and urban areas.

With 13 distribution centres across Africa, Zipline is also creating jobs, as each centre is fully locally staffed, providing over 30 high-skilled positions per location. Their tech-driven approach isn’t just transforming healthcare logistics—it’s also boosting employment and innovation across the continent.

Madica, a pre-seed investment programme for African startups, has just pumped $800,000 into four companies across the continent. Each startup received $200,000 and will benefit from an 18-month programme designed to help them grow, secure more funding, and build for the long haul.

The programme offers hands-on mentorship, executive coaching, and a personalised curriculum tailored to each startup’s needs. Founders will also get the chance to go on fully funded immersion trips to key tech hubs like Cape Town and London, where they can connect with investors and industry experts.

The four startups that made the cut are:

Since launching in 2022, Madica has been on a mission to fuel African entrepreneurship by providing capital, mentorship, and access to investors. Last year, it backed eight startups, including Kola Market, GoBEBA, and Newform Foods, and later funded Nigeria’s Earthbound to scale solar energy for SMEs.

Madica, linked to global fintech VC firm Flourish Ventures, is big on supporting diverse leadership. So far, they’ve exceeded their goal of 50% gender diversity and backed startups in eight countries and six sectors. With its latest investments, it’s clear they’re doubling down on their vision to empower African founders and drive innovation across the continent.