SERAP sues Tinubu govt, NCC over 50% telecom tariff hike

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the recent approval of a 50 per cent increase in telecom tariffs.

NRTC earlier reported that the organisation gave Tinubu and his administration a forty-eight-hour ultimatum to revert the hike on the tariff hike.

The hike means the average cost of calls will rise from ₦11 to ₦16.5 per minute, the price of 1GB of data will increase from ₦287.5 to ₦431.25, and the cost of SMS will go up from ₦4 to ₦6.

In the suit (No. FHC/ABJ/CS/111/2025), filed on January 24 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking a judicial review of what it describes as an “arbitrary, unconstitutional, and unreasonable” decision by the NCC.

SERAP argued that the hike violates Nigerians’ rights to freedom of expression and access to information, as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights laws.

SERAP, represented by its lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, is asking the court to declare the NCC’s approval of the 50% telecom tariff hike as unconstitutional, arbitrary, and inconsistent with Nigerians’ rights.

The organization is also requesting the court to set aside the NCC’s decision on the tariff hike. Furthermore, SERAP is seeking an injunction to prevent the NCC and telecommunication companies from implementing or enforcing the increase.

In its filing, SERAP emphasised that the NCC’s decision lacked due process, consultation with stakeholders, and consideration of consumer rights. It also pointed to the financial struggles faced by Nigerians, citing a National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report that highlights how 133 million citizens live in multidimensional poverty.

SERAP argued that the tariff hike exacerbates the cost-of-living crisis in Nigeria, where citizens are already grappling with high inflation, fuel subsidy removal, and rising food and energy costs.

The group contended that the NCC’s decision failed to meet legal thresholds for fairness and reasonableness, as required under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (2018).

The organization claims the tariff hike violates Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, as well as international obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

SERAP further criticised the NCC for breaching statutory obligations to protect consumers, arguing that the hike undermines citizens’ access to affordable communication services, which are critical for the exercise of their rights.

No date has been set for the hearing of the interim application or the substantive suit.

However, SERAP urged the court to act swiftly to prevent further harm to Nigerians already struggling with economic challenges.