Globacom Limited is putting final touches to a price increase expected to take effect this week by its mobile business unit, Glo Mobile, people conversant with developments at Nigeria’s second national operator (SNO) have hinted.
Barring any last meeting change, Technology Times has learnt that the price increase of telecoms services offered by Glo mobile, the mobile business unit, is expected to take effect this week following internal ratification on Wednesday by the leadership of the SNO.
Glo mobile will be joining rival mobile network operators (MNOs), MTN Nigeria, the leading MNO by subscriber base in the country, and Airtel Nigeria, the number two MNO, that have started the phased implementation of the 50% telecoms tariff increase approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Big Three telcos control 97.9% of Nigeria’s telecoms market
The Nigerian telecoms top three telcos, MTN Nigeria (87,549,410); Airtel Nigeria (57,665,796); and Glo (20,545,782), control 165,760,988 active phones, representing 97.9% of the telecoms market’s entire stock holding of 169,318,076 active lines, as of January 2025.
As of January 2025, Nigeria’s telecoms market accounted for 169,318,076 active phone lines, representing about 78.1% of the country’s projected population figure of 216 million, according to NCC’s latest market information reviewed by Technology Times.
Within the period, Nigeria’s active internet subscriptions peaked at 142,161,409, while broadband subscriptions have reached 98,875,607, representing about 45.61% penetration of the high-speed internet connection across the country’s telecoms landscape.
The Nigerian telecoms top three telcos, MTN Nigeria (87,549,410); Airtel Nigeria (57,665,796); and Glo (20,545,782), control 165,760,988 active phones, representing 97.9% of the telecoms market’s entire stock holding of 169,318,076 active lines, as of January 2025.
Glo’s new pricing may create industry-wide tariff structure in market controlled by ‘Big Three‘
The expected implementation of Globacom’s mobile business unit’s new telecoms services tariff will create a new industry-wide telecoms pricing structure among the three top players in the Nigerian telecoms market: MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and Glo.
A month ago, the NCC announced its approval of a price increase ceiling fixed at 50%, in what the telecoms regulator describes as its consent to “requests by Network Operators in response to prevailing market conditions.”
The telecoms regulator, which says that it recognises the concerns of the public, explains that “this decision was made after extensive consultations with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. The NCC has prioritised striking a balance between protecting telecom consumers and ensuring the sustainability of the industry, including the thousands of indigenous vendors and suppliers who form a critical part of the telecommunications ecosystem.”
The tariff adjustment, Reuben Muoka, the telecoms regulator’s spokesman says, which was “capped at a maximum of 50% of current tariffs, though lower than the over 100% requested by some network operators, was arrived at taking into account ongoing industry reforms that will positively influence sustainability.”
Under the plan, he adds that, “these adjustments will remain within the tariff bands stipulated in the 2013 NCC Cost Study and requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis as is the Commission’s standard practice for tariff reviews. It will be implemented in strict adherence to the recently issued NCC Guidance on Tariff Simplification, 2024.”
NCC’s decision to raise telecoms tariffs has been greeted with mixed feelings from telecoms operators and allied stakeholders that have hailed the move, to condemnations from others, including the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the nation’s influential labour group that has called for limited boycott of telecoms services by workers.
NCC explains that “tariff rates have remained static since 2013, despite the increasing costs of operation faced by telecoms operators. The approved adjustment is aimed at addressing the significant gap between operational costs and current tariffs while ensuring that the delivery of services to consumers is not compromised. These adjustments will support the ability of operators to continue investing in infrastructure and innovation, ultimately benefiting consumers through improved services and connectivity, including better network quality, enhanced customer service, and greater coverage.”
The telecoms regulator, which says that it recognises the concerns of the public, explains that “this decision was made after extensive consultations with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. The NCC has prioritised striking a balance between protecting telecom consumers and ensuring the sustainability of the industry, including the thousands of indigenous vendors and suppliers who form a critical part of the telecommunications ecosystem.”
The NCC, its spokesman adds, “recognises the financial pressures faced by Nigerian households and businesses and remains deeply empathetic to the impact of tariff adjustments. To this end, the Commission has mandated that operators implement these adjustments transparently and in a manner that is fair to consumers. Operators are also required to educate and inform the public about the new rates while demonstrating measurable improvements in service delivery.”
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