The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has launched a new initiative aimed at simplifying and streamlining telecom tariff plans.
The move seeks to enhance transparency, empower consumers, and foster a more user-friendly telecom environment.
Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC’s Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau, announced the initiative during a two-day workshop on telecom industry trends for media stakeholders in Lagos.
Adinde highlighted the challenges posed by the current tariff system, noting that the abundance of promotional offers and plan add-ons often leaves consumers confused and unable to select options that align with their needs.
“Our objective is to streamline choices, enabling consumers to understand and compare available plans easily. With fewer, well-defined options, people can make confident, informed decisions,” Adinde said.
He further revealed data illustrating the issue, citing one network with 14 voice plans and 145 data plans, and another offering 27 voice plans and 41 data plans. According to Adinde, this complexity overwhelms consumers and contributes to concerns like data depletion.
The initiative also focuses on tackling these challenges. “By reducing the number of plans, we aim to simplify the market and improve consumer satisfaction,” he added.
Adinde urged consumers to actively monitor their data usage and take advantage of the Commission’s educational resources.
These include published approved tariff plans and online tools designed to guide users on data management and optimization.
“With this tariff simplification effort, the NCC is committed to creating a telecom landscape that prioritizes transparency, ease of use, and consumer awareness,” Adinde concluded.
The NCC expects the initiative to lead to a more straightforward and consumer-centric approach to data and voice plan options for Nigerians.b
