The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) says its members would commence service shedding any time soon, if nothing was done to increase tariff.
The Chairman of ALTON, Mr Gbenga Adebayo, who disclosed this in Lagos on Monday via a statement, said the Nigerian telecommunications industry was facing a grave challenge that required urgent attention.
The service shedding will hurt both call and Internet services, and millions of Nigerians will be disconnected in the process, according to the ALTON Chairman.
Adebayo lamented that Telco network providers, including MTN, Airtel, Glo and others, were grappling with rising operational costs and stagnant tariffs in the Nigerian telecoms sector.
He warned of national economic disruption, saying critical sectors like security, commerce, healthcare, and education, which depend heavily on telecoms infrastructure would face serious disruptions.
According to TheNewsGuru, Adebayo cited rising operational costs, skyrocketing energy costs, the relentless pressure of inflation, and volatile exchange rates as significant challenges threatening the survival of the industry.
“As we reflect on the end of year 2024, there is a need to issue an urgent and critical call to action for the future of our telecommunications industry.
“The survival of the sector demands immediate and bold reform for its sustainability. Tariffs must be reviewed to reflect the economic realities of delivering telecoms services at a minimum for industry sustainability.
“This will have significant economic fallouts, as businesses will suffer from a lack of connectivity, stalling growth and innovation.
“Let this be the moment when we come together, acknowledge the urgency of the situation, and commit to saving this sector. If we fail to act, history will record that we had countless warnings, yet we allowed inaction to jeopardise one of the most critical pillars of Nigeria’s development.
“If we succeed, 2025 can be the year we turn things around, a year of hope, resilience, and sustainability for the telecoms industry,” Adebayo said.
