The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a new directive mandating telecommunications operators to simplify their tariff plans, bundles, and promotional activities. This move is aimed at ensuring subscribers receive clear, understandable, and accurate information about the costs of voice, short messaging service (SMS), and data services.
The directive, titled “Guidance on the Simplification of Tariffs in the Nigerian Communications Sector,” was released on July 29, 2024. It requires Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to publish comprehensive tables detailing their tariff plans and bundle offers. These tables must include essential information such as add-ons, prices, opt-in or opt-out procedures, terms and conditions for renewal, and rollover policies.
This guideline comes as a result of consultations with industry stakeholders, including MNOs and Consumer Focus Groups, and extensive analysis of consumer preferences and expectations. The objectives are to reduce tariff plan complexity, ensure transparency in promotional elements, protect consumers’ interests, and promote fair competition by standardizing tariff structures.
The NCC directive also requires service providers to display all relevant tariff information, including the plan name, price, validity period, per-second call rates for on-network, off-network, and international calls, data speeds, and fair usage policies. Operators are allowed to maintain existing bonus-led tariff plans until December 31, 2024, during which time they are expected to transition all subscribers to the new simplified plans.
The guidelines stipulate that tariffs must be communicated in “clear language and a user-friendly format,” with full disclosure available via Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD). Additionally, MNOs must offer stand-alone data bundles at fair prices, ensure that bonuses are stated in actual value, and eliminate access fees and asymmetric fee structures.
The NCC emphasized that while adhering to these guidelines, operators must also meet the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) outlined in the Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations.