The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has instructed telecommunications operators to simplify their tariff plans, bundles, and promotional activities.
This directive aims to ensure subscribers have clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate information about the cost of voice, SMS, and data services.
The NCC issued this directive, titled “Guidance on the Simplification of Tariffs in the Nigerian Communications Sector,” on July 29, 2024.
It requires Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to publish a comprehensive table detailing the features of their tariff plans and bundle offers.
Reuben Muoka, the Director of Public Affairs at the NCC, stated in a release that the table should include all necessary information for subscribers to make informed decisions.
This includes details on add-ons, prices, opt-in or opt-out procedures, terms and conditions for renewal, and rollover policies.
“The guideline is the outcome of consultations with industry stakeholders, including MNOs and Consumer Focus Groups, and extensive data analysis on consumer preferences and expectations,” Muoka explained.
The objectives of these simplification guidelines are to reduce the complexity of tariff plans and bundles, ensure transparency and fairness in promotional elements, protect consumers by providing clear tariff information, and promote fair competition among licensees by standardizing tariff structures.
Additionally, the NCC directive states that service providers must display all relevant information about their tariffs, including the plan name, price, validity period, price-per-second for on-network and off-network calls, international calls, expected data speeds, and fair usage policies.
“Operators can maintain existing bonus-led tariff plans until December 31, 2024, during which period they are expected to educate and migrate all subscribers to the simplified tariff plans,” the directive noted.
The guidelines also mandate that MNOs communicate tariffs 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).
Furthermore, “operators must offer stand-alone data bundles at fair prices to avoid tying consumers to products they do not need; bonuses on promotions must be stated in actual value; and access fees and asymmetric fee structures must be eliminated,” the directive added.
The NCC emphasized that operators must comply with these guidelines while also meeting the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) standards set out in the Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations.
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