Low Price of Data Determine High Patronage – Dr. Pantami
When the price of mobile data is low, the demand will be higher, when the price is high, the demand will be low. I urge Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to strike a balance between the consumers and operators, the telecom operators stand to make more profit when the price is low, the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami FNCS, FBCS, FIIM has said.
The Minister made this assertion today when he received the management team of NCC, led by its Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta at the Ministry’s Corporate Headquarters, Abuja.
The NCC team was at the ministry to make a presentation to the Honourable Minister on new data packages been offered by some telecom operators and efforts made to review the price of mobile data downwards in Nigeria.
The NEXT LEVEL Minister commended the telecom operators that have introduced new data packages recently but maintained that the price of mobile data in Nigeria is still not encouraging and on the high side, considering the cost of living in Nigeria and the over 170 Million internet users in the country.
Dr Pantami informed the management of NCC that he is not blind to the challenges the telecom operators are facing but stressed that it is not enough reason to justify the high cost of mobile data in Nigeria as other countries facing similar or more challenges have a lower mobile data price.
“The way we encourage and urge the regulator to put eyes on the operators is the same way we challenge our government to make the environment very enabling for the operators”. Adding that, some Nigerians have been agitating for communications tax, so far, I am among the people that are resisting, as I am not convinced it is in the best interest of the sector”, the minister said.
