The Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, is currently engaged in discussions with representatives from major telecommunications companies in Nigeria over the growing pressures to increase telecom tariffs.

Our correspondent reports that representatives from key telecom providers such as MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile are participating in the ongoing meeting, which began earlier today. Key stakeholders, including government regulatory bodies like the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), are also present.

The telecom companies have recently urged the federal government to approve an increase in telecom tariffs, citing rising operational costs, particularly following the removal of the petrol subsidy and the devaluation of the naira. Despite these pressures, the government has emphasized that telecom providers still have alternative options under the current 2013 tariff price floor, as per the Nigerian Communications Commission’s guidance.

As the talks progress, all eyes are on how the government and telecom companies will navigate the balance between economic realities and the potential impact on Nigerian consumers.