NIGERIAN STUDENTS TO HOLD NATIONWIDE PROTESTS AS AIRTEL JOINS MTN

Nigerian students to hold nationwide protests as Airtel joins MTN

Nigerian students have announced plan to stage nationwide protest Airtel Nigeria, the country’s second-largest telecommunications operator, jointed others to to significantly adjusted its data pricing structure.

The revision, which took effect recently, reflects the impact of escalating operational costs on the company’s operations.

A review of the *312# USSD code and the company’s website confirms the new pricing structure, which has been met with mixed reactions from subscribers.

The revised data plans, published on its website, include daily plans: N50 for 40MB (valid for 1 day), N100 for 100MB (valid for 1 day), N200 for 200MB (valid for 3 days), and N350 for 1GB (valid for 1 day).

On the other hand, weekly plans have become N350 for 350MB (valid for 7 days), N500 for 750MB plus 1GB YouTube Night and 200MB YouTube Music/Spotify (valid for 7 days), N500 for 1GB plus 1GB YouTube Night and 50MB
Socials (valid for 7 days), and N500 for 2GB (valid for 2 days).

Changes for the monthly plan include 3GB for N2,000 (from 1.5GB at N1,200), 4GB for N2,500 (formerly 3GB at N1,500), and 8GB for N3,000 (formerly 4.5GB at N2,000).

Other adjustments include 10GB for N4,000 (formerly 6GB at N2,500), 13GB for N5,000 (from 10GB at N3,000), 18GB for N6,000 (formerly 15GB at N4,000), and 25GB for N8,000 (replacing 18GB at N5,000).

Airtel’s call rates rose to 25 kobo per second from about 18 kobo per second. Like MTN, Airtel has left some tariff plans untouched. For instance, the 5GB plan/week for N1,500 remains unchanged.

This development comes on the heels of a tariff hike of about 50 per cent by MTN Nigeria, which took effect almost a week ago to cushion the impact of rising operational costs.

The Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC), the regulatory body overseeing the telecom industry, had earlier approved a maximal tariff adjustment of 50% for operators.

The commission justified the decision, citing increasing operational costs and the need for industry sustainability.

The NCC stated that its approval was made under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 (NCA).

“While recognising the concerns of the public, the decision was made after extensive consultations with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors,” the commission stated.

Meanwhile, Nigerians student have announced plan to hold nationwide protest at offices of the MTN Nigeria if the tariff hike isn’t reversed.

MTN initially raised the cost of its 15GB weekly data plan from N2,000 to N6,000, sparking widespread criticism from Nigerians and prompting industrial action by the Nigeria Labour Congress.

Following public outcry, the company announced a reversal.

In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Abdul-Raheem Abdul-Quadri, and Public Relations Officer, Ridwan Ajayi, NANS JCC Lagos denounced MTN’s claim of reversal, calling it a “deceptive response to our demands.”

However, the Lagos State Chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee in a statement vowed to picket the company’s headquarters, accusing the telecom giant of failing to reverse its recent data tariff hike fully.

“Instead of reversing the hike, MTN has scrapped the 15GB weekly bundle and replaced it with a 7GB bundle at N3,000 – less than half the original data volume at a higher cost! This is not a relief, nor is it a reversal; it is a further exploitation of students and Nigerians, disguised as an adjustment,” the students lamented.

NANS described the move as an “attack on students and Nigerians,” warning that it exacerbates the digital divide and makes education more difficult for young people who rely on affordable data for learning, research, and daily activities.

Having issued a 72-hour ultimatum for a full reversal, NANS JCC Lagos declared a mass protest at MTN’s headquarters, with further details to be announced later.

“We refuse to be silenced! If MTN and the NCC refuse to act, we will continue to mobilise across campuses and the streets until our voices are heard,” the statement added.

The students’ demands include an immediate reversal of the 200 per cent tariff hike; restoration of the 15GB weekly bundle at N2,000; introduction of student-friendly data plans; and the government and NCC intervention to regulate telecom pricing.

NANS called on youth organisations, civil society groups, and the general public to join them in resisting what they describe as unfair pricing by telecom operators.

Similarly, the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has given telecommunications multinational, MTN a 10-day ultimatum on the immediate reversal of its data tariff increase.

The association, which represents polytechnic students across Nigeria, described the hike as a
“blatant display of greed” that threatens students’ access to education.

In a press statement signed by its president, Comrade Festus Oyewumi, NAPS on Monday expressed outrage over the decision, arguing that students rely heavily on affordable internet access for research, assignments, and academic projects.

NAPS called on relevant authorities to intervene, urging the government and regulatory bodies to ensure that telecommunications providers offer affordable and fair services to students.

The statement reads in part; “The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) is outraged and appalled by MTN’s recent decision to increase data tariffs, which will have a catastrophic impact on our students’ ability to conduct research and complete projects.

This blatant display of greed and disregard for the welfare of students is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

“Our students rely heavily on data to access online resources, conduct research, and submit assignments, and this increase will make it impossible for many of them to afford the data they need.

This is a direct attack on their right to education and will have far-reaching consequences for their academic success and future prospects.

“We condemn MTN’s actions in the strongest possible terms and demand that they immediately reverse the tariff increase. We will not stand idly by while our students are denied the opportunity to succeed due to MTN’s profiteering. We will not be silenced or intimidated by MTN’s attempts to exploit our students for their own financial gain.

We are giving MTN a 10-day ultimatum to reverse the tariff increase. If they fail to comply, we will be forced to take drastic action, including shutting down their offices nationwide. We will mobilize our members and take to the streets to protest this injustice and ensure that MTN is held accountable for their actions.

“We warn MTN that we will not be ignored or dismissed. We will fight tirelessly to protect the interests of our students and ensure that they have access to affordable and reliable data services. We will not rest until MTN reverses the tariff increase and commits to providing fair and affordable services to our students.

“To MTN, we say: you have 10 days to reverse the tariff increase. If you fail to do so, you will face the full force of our wrath. We will not be silenced, we will not be intimidated, and we will not be ignored,” the statement added.