Telecommunications companies in Nigeria have submitted a proposal to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) seeking a 100% tariff hike to address escalating operational costs, including inflation and increased service delivery expenses.

This was disclosed by Karl Toriola, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday.

Toriola explained that the proposed hike is essential for the sustainability of the telecom industry, which is grappling with significant financial pressures. However, he noted that it remains uncertain whether the NCC will approve the proposed increase.

“We’ve put forward requests of approximately 100 per cent tariff increases to regulators. I doubt they’re going to approve that quantum of increases because they are very, very sensitive to the current economic situation in the country,” Toriola said.

Despite the uncertainty, Toriola expressed confidence that regulators would consider the sector’s realities and make an informed decision.