MTN Nigeria’s recent 50% tariff adjustment, implemented on Monday, affected only four of its 18 internet plans. However, subscribers criticized the changes, noting that some plans exceeded the 50% threshold approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
A data pricing document reviewed by TechCabal showed that the 50% increase applied to only four plans. The adjustments included replacing the 2GB hourly bundle (previously ₦200) with a 400MB hourly plan for ₦100—an effective 156% price increase. The 400GB three-month plan, which was previously ₦50,000, was adjusted to 480GB for three months at ₦120,000, reflecting a 100% increase.
The 2.5GB digital bundle rose by 50%, from ₦500 to ₦750. The steepest increase was on the 15GB Digital channels-only bundle. Previously priced at ₦2,000, it was adjusted to ₦6,000, marking a 200% increase.
An MTN Nigeria spokesperson explained that the bundles exceeding a 100% increase were previously heavily discounted for a specific subscriber segment. “What we have done now is to price the bundle properly since the period for the discounted price ended a long time ago. We then added the 50% tariff increase on the standard market price,” the spokesperson said.
Out of the 18 listed internet plans, 13 experienced less than a 40% increase. The highest increase in this group was the 25GB monthly plan, which rose from ₦6,500 to ₦9,000.
Additionally, MTN Nigeria reduced the price of internet calls by 14 kobo instead of the standard 24 kobo market demand. While the price adjustments sparked debate among subscribers, the company maintains that they align with market standards and the expiration of previously discounted rates.
