The Nigerian Communications Commission and President Bola Tinubu’s administration are being sued by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project for what it called a 50% rise in telecom rates that was “arbitrary, unconstitutional, unlawful, unfair, and unreasonable.”
A one-minute call now costs N16.5 instead of N11, 1GB of data costs N287.5 instead of N431.25, and SMS costs increase from N4 to N6 after the NCC recently authorized the tariff hike.
With SERAP spearheading legal challenges to the ruling, the rise has drawn intense criticism.
SERAP argues in the lawsuit (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/111/2025) filed in the Federal High Court, Abuja, that the pricing increase violates citizens’ rights to information access and freedom of expression as guaranteed by international treaties and the Nigerian Constitution.
A statement issued by SERAP on Sunday titled, “SERAP wants court to stop Tinubu govt, telcos from implementing 50% telecom tariff hike,” disclosed this.
“The unilateral decision by the NCC to approve a 50% hike in telecom tariffs is arbitrary, unconstitutional, and unfair,.
“This action contravenes both the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 and international human rights standards.
“It also reflects a failure to consult key stakeholders, such as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission,” said SERAP’s lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN.
SERAP argued that the decision disregards the principle of legality, which requires fairness, reasonableness, and adherence to due process in the exercise of statutory powers.
“The NCC’s action undermines citizens’ right to seek, receive, and impart information through communication media without discrimination,” the lawsuit read.
The rise coincides with Nigeria’s economic difficulties, since 133 million Nigerians are multidimensionally poor, according to a recent National Bureau of Statistics report.
With more than half of the people cooking with wood, dung, or charcoal, the report emphasises the deteriorating living circumstances.
SERAP stated, “This tariff hike is happening at a time when Nigerians are grappling with a cost-of-living crisis. Many are struggling to afford basic necessities, let alone higher communication costs.
“The move adds to existing burdens, including fuel subsidy removal, rising electricity tariffs, and soaring food prices.”
Through its prayers, SERAP is requesting an injunction to stop the tariff hike’s implementation and a court ruling that the raise breaches international human rights treaties and constitutional laws.
Additionally, the organization is requesting that the court declare the NCC’s ruling invalid, calling it “extortive, unreasonable, and a breach of due process.”
Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director of SERAP, emphasized the rate hike’s wider ramifications.
“Access to communication is not a luxury; it is a fundamental right,” the statement added.
“The government and the NCC have a duty to ensure that telecommunication services remain affordable, especially for the millions of Nigerians living in poverty.”
The case, which might have a big impact on Nigerian telecom policy, has no scheduled hearing date, the statement said.
In the meantime, subscriber organisations gave the Nigerian Communications Commission a deadline of Wednesday, January 29, 2025, to reverse the 50% pricing increase to 10%.