Sir: As if it is not enough that the prices of rice, garri, maggi, vegetables, meat, bread, transport and others have shot up in the market, telecommunications companies have served notice that they will hike up their tariffs by 50 percent. At a time when Nigerians are weighed down by excruciating burdens coming from a thousand places all at once, what would these hikes mean for everyday Nigerians as they navigate what are already very difficult living conditions?
While the government and the service providers feel that the hike in telecommunications tariffs is necessary to balance rising operational expenses with the provision of quality services and broader economic considerations for both consumers and the telecoms industry, every day Nigerians feel otherwise. They are feeling the pinch of being Nigerians, and the punch to their guts is considerable indeed.
A hike in tariffs means increased costs of all telecommunications including phone calls, text messages and data with the resulting ripple effects on businesses and daily life.
There is no doubt that life is about to get even harder for Nigerians, who have borne the difficulties of this transition period with remarkable equanimity and fortitude.
It was in the early 2000s that Nigerians first witnessed a massive explosion of telecommunications technologies. Since then, many Nigerians have become mobile phone users. For service providers, Nigeria has remained an excellent market, with many new users streaming into the market every day.
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The economics of telecommunications has rewarded both providers and users beyond their wildest dreams. With new channels of communication opened, businesses have thrived, and unprecedented advancement recorded across multiple fields. But at what cost?
Over the years, the relationship between consumers of telecommunications services and service providers has been far from friendly. Almost everyone who has had course to use telecommunications services, and there are many, have complained of irregular network, inconsistent and frankly ridiculous charges, and arbitrary hikes. This has irritated many of their customers to no end.
The telecommunications service providers may just be going with the tide in raising tariffs to cover operational expenses but are they ready to improve services? Given that they are professional profiteers, are they ready to engage in the delicate balancing act between costs, profits and excellent service delivery?
What a time it is to add this burden to Nigerians already crushed by rising costs of living. What a time to be a Nigerian.