News
Telecoms Consumers May Pay Less Tariff In 2011
Consumers of telecommunications services in the country may enjoy lower call rates from 2011 going by the tariff war that started among operators in 2010.
The crash in call rates started barely two weeks after Bharti Airtel acquired former Zain and started re-branding the company.
Bharti Airtel, which took over mobile telephone operations in 15 African countries in a deal that has made it the world’s fifth-biggest mobile company with 180 million customers in 18 countries, has never hidden its plan to reduce tariffs in Nigeria.
Its Chairman, Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal, flaunted his company’s low-tariff strategy while unveiling the brand identity in Nigeria, said that it would give other network operators a good fight to have a good share of Nigeria’s telecoms market.
Just days after Mittal threw the gauntlet, Airtel crashed its call rates to as low as N9 per minute from the industry average rates of N35 to N42 per minute.
This price reduction strategy jolted the industry and elicited swift responses from other network operators.
Other operators have now initiated a number of value added propositions and tariff packages to sustain revenue and retain subscribers.
Etisalat had earlier slashed its call rates by 50 per cent from a peak of 50k per second to 25k in its Easylife offer which has a daily access charge of N20.
Mr Steve Evans, Chief Operating Officer of Etisalat Nigeria, said that the company was unperturbed by Airtel’s low- tariff strategy.
Evans said that his network was one of the best in Nigeria and its tariffs were competitive.
MTN Nigeria has also introduced new tariff packages: MTN Funlink, Smartlink, Prolink, Bizlink and Happilink that allow customers to enjoy more air time at highly reduced costs to customers across its market segments.
Mrs Funmi Omogbenigun, General Manager (Corporate Communications) in MTN Nigeria, said the telecommunications industry in Nigeria was one of the most competitive in the world.
She said that the drive to provide value to the customer was an important consideration for players in the industry.
According to Omogbenigun, reducing tariffs by any operator is not something that is new in the telecoms market.
Globacom had similarly inaugurated a package in Port Harcourt that enables telecoms subscribers to pay 25k per second for all calls to any network in the country without any rental or access fee.
Mr Lanre Ajayi, President of Nigerian Internet Group (NIG), said he saw no link between tariff reduction and halting investment, adding that Airtel’s action would stimulate expansion of networks rather than diminish investments in the sector.
“On the other hand, it will call for further investment because when you reduce tariffs, you are asking more people to make more calls and when that happens, traffic increases.
“When traffic increases, it requires expanded network. It’s just logical that when an operator is planning to attract more traffic to its network, it’s planning to expand its network,” Ajayi said.
According to him, price war is part of competition and “when you are going to war, you use all tools at your disposals and price war just happens to be one of the weapons in competition”.
Ajayi said that the ensuing price war in the sector was not unexpected.
The ECOWAS Parliament has adopted a budget of 19,636,030 Units of Account (UA) (26 million dollars) for the 2026 fiscal year, and announced plans to commemorate its 25th anniversary in November.
The Speaker of the Parliament, Hadjia Memounatou Ibrahima, who announced this, said the development followed the recent conclusion of its 2025 Second Extraordinary Session in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
She said the budget was adopted by the Parliament during plenary, stressing that, beyond being a mere accounting act, it was the engine of parliament’s commitment to West Africans.
”It will enable us to carry out our priority missions, including implementing the conclusions of the seminar on AI, while ensuring virtuous and transparent management of public funds entrusted to us.
”This budget represents a five per cent increase compared to the 2025 fiscal year budget, reflecting an upward adjustment of UA 939,233 from last year’s UA 18,996,897.
”Out of the budget of UA 19,636,030 for 2026, the sum of UA19, 368,394 representing 98.64 per cent is expected to be financed through the proceeds from the Community Levy, while UA257,636, equivalent to 1.36 per cent, will accrue from other sources,” Ibrahima said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ECOWAS Community Levy is a mandatory 0.5 per cent tax imposed on goods imported into ECOWAS member states from non-ECOWAS countries.
Member states are under statutory obligation to pay the community levy, which is the main source of funding for ECOWAS institutions and their activities.
Ibrahima, however, expressed dismay that some members of the community were still defaulting on the payment of the levy, and warned that, going forward; such would be met with sanctions.
She also said that the commemoration of its 25th anniversary in November would highlight the ECOWAS Parliament’s achievements in deepening regional democracy, cooperation and growth, amid formidable challenges.
The Speaker described the forthcoming anniversary as “a chance to showcase resilience and chart a more innovative, youth-focused future for the community”.
The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has begun the celebration of Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary with a Juma’at service where prayers were offered for the progress of the state and Nigeria.
Governor Fubara, who advocated for peace and unity of Nigeria during the prayers on Friday at the Rivers State Central Mosque, Port Harcourt, indicated that without peace, the accelerated development of Nigeria will remain in a limbo.
Governor Fubara, who was represented by Alhaji Abdurrazaq Diepriye, therefore urged citizens to remain patriotic.
According to him, “Allah has brought us this far. Without peace, we can not have progress and economic development. I call on all citizens irrespective of creed or tribe to remain patriotic.”
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for restoring peace in Rivers State while also using the forum to appreciate security agencies for their relentless effort in upholding the peace and unity of Rivers State and Nigeria.
The Chief Imam of Rivers State Central Mosque, Imam Ibrahim Yaloo, admonished Moslem faithful to always speak the truth, adding that those who obey Allah will be directed to good deeds and their sins forgiven.
Prayers were offered for Rivers State and Nigeria.
Other activities to mark the 65th Independence anniversary in the state include an Inter-denominational Church Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, 28th September and Parade Ceremony on Wednesday, 1st October.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima departed New York on Sunday after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
In a statement released on Sunday by the VP media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President is now headed to Germany, where he will hold strategic meetings with officials of Deutsche Bank.
The statement read, “Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed New York, United States, after successfully representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
“During his participation at UNGA 80, VP Shettima secured UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ commendation for Nigeria’s bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat.
“He also showcased Nigeria’s $200 billion energy transition opportunity to global investors and strengthened strategic partnerships with the UK on trade, defence, and migration issues.”
Nkwocha added that the VP delivered Tinubu’s national statement, calling for UN reforms and a permanent seat for Nigeria at the UN Security Council, and “demanded Africa’s control over its $700 billion mineral wealth, and digital inclusion initiatives.”
“He also engaged with the Gates Foundation on healthcare and education expansion, positioning Nigeria as the natural hub for the African Continental Free Trade Area’s $3.4 trillion market.
“VP Shettima was seen off at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, by cabinet Ministers who were part of the UNGA 80 delegation and Nigerian Mission officials.”
The aide noted that Shettima will return to Nigeria immediately after his engagements in Germany.
The Tide source recalls that the VP departed Abuja, yesterday.
He led other Nigerian officials at the Assembly.
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