Telcos may review call rates, data prices over new foreign exchange rate

Telecommunication companies are considering the review of the prices of their services following the new FX policy regime introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The president, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, in an interview with The PUNCH explained that the price review is needed to reflect the cost of production.

He said, “For our industry to remain sustainable, our prices have to reflect the cost of production. This goes without saying that we will also review rates at the appropriate time after consultation with all the stakeholders to reflect the current cost of inputs.”

Adebayo noted that telcos are not isolated or immune from what is happening in the economy. He stated, “When the input cost goes up, prices will also go up. So, in order for the industry to be sustainable, and for us to continue to maintain the grade of service that we deliver, it is only realistic that we review prices.

“We are providing all the necessary information to the regulators.”

He clarified that these discussions have been ongoing for a while, with telcos getting approval to review prices for a while under the last administration. However, he said that the new Forex regime has made an increase paramount.

Adebayo said, “We’ve been discussing this before the end of the last administration, and in actual fact, approval was granted for price review at the time, but we had some interventions that asked that it should be put on hold, which again does not reflect the reality of what we face. So, it is only normal to expect that there will be a price review.

“But it is not only FX that will influence this. It is in addition to other elements and parameters of the cost that we had mentioned in our previous submission to get a review of rates. This other condition will constitute further information, reason, and basis to justify the review of prices.”