COVID-19: FG urges Telcos to subsidise calls, data for Nigerians

The federal government has called on telecommunications service providers, MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile to reduce call rate and data for Nigerians.

Isa Pantami, on his Twitter handle, said: “As earlier conveyed, as the Minister of Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy in charge of Policy of the Telecom Sector as in NCA, 2003, Part 1, I ‘urge’ Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), MTN, Glo, Airtel Nigeria, 9mobile, etc. to ensure they further subsidy and relax calls/data for citizens in this critical time.”

As earlier conveyed, as d Minister of @FMoCDENigeria in charge of Policy of the Telecom Sector as in NCA, 2003, Part 1, I “urge” @NgComCommission, @MTNNG, @GloNg, @AirtelNigeria, @9mobilengCare,etc to ensure they further subsidy/relax calls/data for citizens in this critical time

— Isa Ali Pantami, PhD (@DrIsaPantami) March 30, 2020

According to the NCC, Nigeria has over 174 million internet users, it was against this backdrop that the minister directed the NCC, the telecom regulators, to immediately work hand-in-hand with the telecoms operators and ensure a downward review of the price of data in Nigeria.

Last week, many Nigerians took to social media to call on the telecommunications service providers to give free services and cut down the price of data due to the COVID-19 crisis ravaging the world, but MTN only attempted to give 300 free sms monthly… see details here

In such a time like this, it is not every Nigerian that can afford 1GB data, as some are out of work, non-payment of salary and many other reasons.

The minister also demanded improved quality of service provided as well as checking the illegal deduction of subscribers’ data.

’As conveyed last week, all Network Operators are ‘urged’ to be more generous to our citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic,’’ Pantami said.