NCC Directs Telcos on Tariffs Transparency
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to simplify their tariff plans, bundles, and promotional activities, aiming to provide clearer and more accurate information on the cost of voice, SMS, and data services to subscribers.
The directive, titled “Guidance on the Simplification of Tariffs in the Nigerian Communications Sector,” was issued recently.
According to the directive signed by Reuben Muoka, Director of Public Affairs at the NCC, It mandates Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to publish a comprehensive table detailing the features of their tariff plans and bundle offers, enabling consumers to make informed decisions.
According to the NCC, the tables must include vital information such as add-ons, pricing, opt-in and opt-out procedures, terms and conditions for renewal, and rollover policies.
This move follows consultations with industry stakeholders, including MNOs and Consumer Focus Groups, as well as extensive data analysis on consumer preferences.
The simplification guidelines aim to reduce the complexity of tariff plans and bundles, ensuring transparency and fairness in promotional elements.
Read Also:
The directive also seeks to protect consumer interests by providing clear and understandable tariff information and to promote fair competition among licensees by standardizing tariff structures.
Service providers are also required to display all relevant information about their tariffs, including plan names, prices, validity periods, price-per-second for on and off-network and international calls, expected data speeds, and fair usage policies.
“Operators can maintain existing bonus-led tariff plans until December 31, 2024, within which period they are expected to educate and migrate all subscribers to the simplified tariff plans,” the directive stated.
Additionally, the NCC guidelines require that tariffs be communicated to subscribers in “clear language and a user-friendly format,” with full disclosure of a subscriber’s tariff plan via Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD).
The directive also emphasizes that operators must offer stand-alone data bundles at fair prices, eliminate access fees and asymmetric fee structures, and ensure that bonuses on promotions are stated in actual value.
The NCC has warned that while operators comply with these new guidelines, they must also continue to meet the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) standards set out in the Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations.
 has directed telecommunications operators to simplify their tariff plans, bundles){kind=link}