Telecommunications operators in Nigeria say the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is reviewing mobile termination rates without any automatic implication that telecom tariffs will rise. Multiple outlets report that the NCC has begun a cost-based study to determine updated mobile termination rates, an interconnection charge operators use when carrying calls between networks.
The telcos interviewed in the coverage dismiss concerns that the review itself will lead to higher consumer charges. They argue that any change in tariffs would depend on the findings of the NCC’s cost data and the regulatory outcomes that follow the review process. Some operators also suggest that the results could potentially reduce prices across the sector, depending on what the study determines.
Both accounts present the telcos’ position that the NCC’s move is intended to ensure interconnection rates reflect underlying costs, rather than to trigger immediate tariff increases. The NCC’s review is still at an early stage, with the final rate decision expected to come after the cost-based assessment and related regulatory steps.
