Senate Urges Communications Ministry To Review Data Costs

The Senate has urged the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to engage with telecommunications providers to review the recent increase in data costs.

This, the upper chamber said, was with the view to ensuring that pricing remained fair and affordable for all Nigerians.

The senate’s resolution was sequel to a motion sponsored by Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong, at plenary on Wednesday.

The motion is with the title: “Urgent Need to Address the Increased Cost of Data Services in Nigeria”.

Moving the motion, Ekpenyong said that telecommunications providers in Nigeria had recently increased the cost of data services by as much as 200 per cent.

“This move has placed significant financial strain on millions of Nigerians, especially young people who rely on the internet for their livelihood.

“Young Nigerians have embraced the digital economy, leveraging the internet for various income-generating activities, including freelancing and remote work, digital marketing and social media management,” he said.

The lawmaker further said fibre-optic internet services remained unaffordable for the average young Nigerian, leaving them dependent on mobile telecommunications companies for internet access.

“The sudden and substantial increase in data cost threatens their economic survival and limits access to critical digital services,” he said.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said the motion, when implemented, would assist young entrepreneurs.

Akpabio said the motion would not only enable them to remain in business but ensure they had affordable prices that would also generate revenue and profits for them.

The upper chamber also resolved to call on the ministry to develop a policy framework for affordable internet services in Nigeria.

The senate said that there was a need for the Federal Government to establish and support tech hubs across the country, providing free or subsidised internet access to young entrepreneurs, students and innovators.

The upper chamber also mandated its Committee on Communications, to conduct an investigation into the factors driving the high cost of data and proffer solutions for a sustainable and business-friendly telecommunications sector.