Alton, The Association Of Licensed Telecommunications Operators Of Nigeria, Has Confirmed That They Will Not Engage In Any Form Of Industrial Action In Response To The Recent Increases In Telecom Tariffs. The Association Expressed Their Commitment To Maintaining Uninterrupted Services For Customers And Working Towards Finding A Resolution That Aligns With The Best Interests Of All Stakeholders.

Emma Okonji

The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) announced that it will not engage in industrial action to demand an increase in telecom tariff across networks.

The Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, made this statement during a visit to ALTON’s office in Lekki, Lagos, by a trade union called Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN).

PTECSSAN suggested that ALTON should resort to industrial action to pressure the federal government into accepting its proposal to raise voice calls and data services tariffs.

In April 2022, ALTON had submitted a request to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulator, for a 40% increase in voice and data tariffs. The purpose was to help telecom operators cope with the high cost of providing telecom services across the country. However, ALTON is still awaiting approval from the NCC.

Due to the delay in approving the tariff hike for telecom operators, PTECSSAN wrote a letter to ALTON, requesting a meeting and potential collaboration to support the operators’ desire for tariff increase.

During the visit, PTECSSAN’s General Secretary, Okonu Abdullahi, recommended that ALTON explore alternative solutions to present to the government. He expressed concern about the economic challenges facing the telecom sector and the government’s refusal to accept the network providers’ proposal for tariff increment.

Abdullahi emphasized that the government should not reject a telecom tariff increase since the cost of delivering telecom services has skyrocketed. If the government is unwilling to accept a tariff increase, Abdullahi suggested that it should supply diesel directly to telecom operators at a discounted rate, offer favorable forex rates, and grant tax waivers to telecom operators.

However, Adebayo, while appreciating the visit, stated that ALTON would not use industrial action to address the tariff hike issue. He explained that ALTON is already engaged in discussions with industry stakeholders and the regulatory body. Adebayo emphasized that any disruption of telecom services due to strikes or industrial action could have severe consequences for the sector and the economy as a whole, affecting businesses, hospitals, security services, and financial institutions that rely on uninterrupted telecom services.