TELECOMMUNICATIONS operators have threatened to shut down services in some parts of the country should the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) refuse to consider their demand for tariff review.

The operators issued the warning in a statement signed by the chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, on Monday, December 30.

The operators are demanding a tariff review to reflect the Nigerian economic realities and enable telcos to deliver optimal services.

“If nothing is done, we might begin to see in the new year grim consequences unfolding, such as service shedding; operators may not be able to provide services in some areas and at some times of the day leaving millions disconnected. There will be significant economic fallout because businesses will suffer from a lack of connectivity, stalling growth and innovation.

“There will also be national economic disruption where key sectors like security, commerce, healthcare, and education which rely heavily on telecom infrastructure, will face serious disruptions,” Adebayo said.

He stressed that the operators could not continue to guarantee service availability without the tariff review.

He explained that even though the challenges faced by the telcos were not new, they had become more acute and more threatening as the year passed.

Adebayo argued that rising operational costs, skyrocketing energy costs, inflationary pressure, and volatile exchange rates, amongst others, had placed an unsustainable burden on network operators.

He said despite these mounting pressures, tariffs had remained stagnant, leaving operators trapped in a financial quagmire.

He said the resources needed to maintain, expand, and modernise the operators’ networks were no longer available, adding that without intervention, the future of the sector could be at grave risk.