The National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee’s Lagos State Chapter has threatened to hold a large-scale demonstration against MTN Nigeria’s corporate office, alleging that the telecom behemoth has not completely retracted its recent data fee increase.
When MTN first increased the price of their 15GB weekly data package from N2,000 to N6,000, Nigerians were outraged, and the Nigeria Labour Congress took industrial action.
A reversal was announced by the corporation after a public uproar.
NANS JCC Lagos described MTN’s claim of reversal as a “deceptive response to our demands” in a statement co-signed by its Chairman, Abdul-Raheem Abdul-Quadri, and Public Relations Officer, Ridwan Ajayi.
“MTN has dropped the 15GB weekly bundle and replaced it with a 7GB bundle for N3,000—less than half the previous data volume at a higher cost—instead of rolling back the spike! Under the pretense of an adjustment, this is a further exploitation of students and Nigerians, not a respite or a reversal,” the students bemoaned.
The action, which NANS called an “attack on students and Nigerians,” worsens the digital gap and makes education more challenging for youth who depend on inexpensive data for everyday learning, research, and daily activities.
NANS JCC Lagos launched a large-scale demonstration against MTN’s headquarters after issuing a 72-hour ultimatum for a complete reversal; further information will be revealed later.
“We will not be quiet! We will keep organizing on campuses and in the streets until our views are heard if MTN and the NCC do nothing,” the declaration continued.
The students want the 200 percent cost spike to be immediately reversed, the 15GB weekly bundle to be restored for N2,000, student-friendly data plans to be introduced, and government and NCC intervention to control telecom prices.
NANS urged the public, civil society organizations, and youth organizations to stand with them in opposing what they say is unjust cellular operator pricing.
Funso Aina, MTN Nigeria’s Senior Manager of External Relations, stated on Sunday that the proposal had already been abandoned.
“The plan in question has been discontinued,” he said. It is no longer part of our service offering. Customers can select from several additional alternatives, all of which fall within the authorized framework.
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