Airtel Nigeria, the nation’s second-largest telecom provider, has announced a revision to its data pricing structure, implementing tariff increases of up to 50 percent. This change, outlined on the company’s website on Monday, affects several data bundles and is a response to the ongoing challenges in the telecom industry, including rising operational costs.
Although Airtel has yet to provide an official statement regarding these changes, this decision reflects a wider trend among telecommunications providers adapting their tariff structures in response to inflation and fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. In addition to increasing data prices, Airtel, which has more than 56 million subscribers, also raised voice call tariffs over the weekend.
A senior official at Airtel confirmed the recent price changes during an interview with The PUNCH. He stated, “Yes, we have revised our data prices as of today, and the updated rates can be found on our website. However, the increase is not as high as 50 percent.”
The revised data plans include:
- N50 for 40MB valid for 1 day
- N100 for 100MB valid for 1 day
- N200 for 200MB valid for 3 days
- N350 for 1GB valid for 1 day
- N350 for 350MB valid for 7 days
- N500 for 750MB plus 1GB YouTube Night and 200MB YouTube Music/Spotify valid for 7 days
- N500 for 1GB plus 1GB YouTube Night and 50MB Socials valid for 7 days
- N500 for 2GB valid for 2 days
- N1500 for 5GB valid for 7 days
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In a similar fashion, MTN, Nigeria’s leading telecommunications provider, has revised its data and call tariffs after receiving approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). These recent adjustments have led to increased costs for customers, affecting their expenses for calls, SMS, and internet usage.
These tariff increases occur as telecom operators contend with the challenges of inflation, fluctuating foreign exchange rates, and rising expenses related to network expansion. Although these adjustments aim to facilitate long-term enhancements to services, subscribers may experience increased financial strain as communication costs rise.
