HIGH COST OF INTERNET ACCESS IN NIGERIA

This write up is directed at the high price of internet access which is referred to as bundle packages by our network provides in Nigeria.
I can remember vividly when MTN and Econet came into Nigeria in the year 2001.The cost of line was like ₦28,000(Twenty eight thousand Naira) while a minute call cost up to ₦60. This was only affordable by the rich and elite of the country. This service providers refused to charge their customers on per second billing stating that is was not possible then text message that cost nothing to transmit goes for ₦15.
Then globacom came into the market and told Nigerians that per second billing was possible and immediately, this two network providers that has been extorting average Nigerian immediately changed to per second billing.




Back to our topic of discussion, below is the cost of internet access (data plan) for all ther network providers in Nigeria today.

AIRTEL GLOBACOM
DATA PRICE(₦) VALIDITY DATA PRICE(₦) VALIDITY
10MB 100.00 24 hrs 10MB 100.00 24 hrs
25MB 400.00 7days 50MB 500.00 7days
200MB 1,000.00 30days 200MB 1,000.00 30days
1GB 3,000.00 30days 1 GB 3,000.00 30days
3GB 3,000.00 Weekend 3GB 5,000.00 30days
3GB 2,500.00 Night(30 days) 6GB 7,500.00 30days
3GB 5,000.00 30 days 10GB 10,000.00 30days
5GB 8,000.00 30 days 15GB 15,000.00 30days
10GB 15,000.00 30 days 20GB 18,000.00 30days



ETISALAT MTN
DATA PRICE(₦) VALIDITY DATA PRICE(₦) VALIDITY
10MB 100.00 24 hrs 10MB 100.00 24 hrs
50MB 500.00 7days 150MB 500.00 24 hrs
200MB 1,000.00 30days 250MB 1,300.00 30days
500MB 2,000.00 30days 500MB 2,000.00 30days
1 .5GB 4,000.00 30days 1GB 3,500.00 30days
3GB 4,000.00 nightand weekend 100MB 1,000.00 30days
3GB 6,500.00 30days 25MB 500.00 30days
6GB 8,000.00 30days 3GB 3,000.00 30days(WEEKEND)
10GB 10,000.00 30days 5GB 8,000.00 30days
15GB 15,000.00 30days 3GB 6,000.00 30days
3GB 2,500.00 Night

With the minimum wage in Nigeria still pegged at ₦18,000, this ridiculous prices makes it almost impossible for a common man or an average Nigerian to afford 24/7 internet access. Yet the CBN is clamouring for cashless Nigeria. My question is this: How will an average Nigerian afford 24/7 internet access to transfer money in Nigeria.

Some of these network providers have not even tried to improve their network compared to these exorbitant network charges.
I think NCC should borrow a leaf from their counterpart CBN, who recently directed banks to reduces their charges and ask the service providers to reduce these charges.
NCC should please help regulate these network giants that have been exploiting average Nigeria with exorbitant charges and spam SMS.

We advice these service provides to be more innovative instead of looking for ways to exploit Nigerians through spam text messages and ridiculous charges. They should try and provide free WI-FI in hospitals, airports etc.