Nigeria Telecoms Regulator Calls For Data Price Reviews, Whither Ghana?
In spite of the fact that Nigeria has the second cheapest data and voice rates in Africa, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has still called on all telcos to review their billing.
This move comes in response to frequent consumer complaints about data depletion and aims to ensure transparency in telecom services.
The regulator is also working on simplifying tariff plans to make them more understandable for consumers.
These initiatives are part of a broader effort to improve the quality of experience for telecom users in Nigeria, covering all aspects from network selection to customer support.
These efforts are in sync with Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani’s set target for improving service quality.
The NCC aims to increase the average telecom Quality of Service (QoS) score for the four major mobile network operators (MNOs) from 81.25% to 90.6% by the end of 2024.
NCC has also been tasked with increasing broadband penetration to 70% by 2025, and providing coverage for 80% of the population by 2026, with a particular focus on underserved rural areas.
These efforts are welcome developments to balance consumer protection with industry growth—bearing similar markings to adjacent commissions like the FCCPC that has been battling Meta over claims of consumer privacy breaches on WhatsApp.
However, MNOs are still agitating, arguing that their prices, now overdue for increments, haven’t been reviewed in the last 11 years, despite strong inflation headwinds in the country.
Ghana
Meanwhile, in Ghana there is a huge public campaign going on against “high mobile data prices”, in spite of the fact that mobile data prices in Ghana has been adjudged as the third lowest on the continent. Cable.co.uk said the average price for 1GB of data in Ghana is US$0.40, which is GHS6.20.
Campaigners said they doubt the authenticity of the Cable.co.uk report, saying that one 1GB of data cost GHS17 on MTN, and GHS10 on both Telecel and AT Ghana. When you strike an average – 17+10+10 = 37. When you divide 37 by 3 = GHS12.3, which is GHS0.79, about twice the figure quoted by Cable.co.uk.
Data price levels in Ghana are largely due to regulatory intervention stemming from the fact that the dominant player, MTN, was named a significant market power (SMP) and was directed not to price below the two smaller players. This is in line with ITU principles to ensure the the dominant player does not price out competition. So, MTN was compelled to collapse all of its affordable data packages and price them above what the two smaller players were offering.
Because the two smaller players cannot afford to reduce their price (to avoid collapsing), it means Ghanaians on all three networks, particularly on MTN, are having to pay more than they expected for data, at a time when the country is on a digitalization drive and data consumption is skyrocketing. Data consumption in Ghana has gone so high that telcos are asking for even more spectrum to expand their capacities and accommodate the demand.
Meanwhile, the National Communications Authority (NCA) is working feverishly to come out with strategies that will lessen the burden on Ghanaians going forward, while also ensuring that the Ghanaian telecom industry does not slide into a monopoly.
