Point-of-sale (POS) operators in Nigeria may soon increase their service charges following the Federal Government’s approval of a 50 per cent hike in telecommunications service tariffs.
National Public Relations Officer of the Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN), Ogungbayi Ganiyu disclosed this, citing the impact of the tariff hike on their operations.
Ganiyu explained that mobile money agents rely heavily on telecom services, particularly data, for their transactions.
“The telecom tariff hike will impact the operations of our members. I am afraid this may also have a multiplier effect on service charges,” Ganiyu said.
He mentioned that although POS operators might attempt to absorb the extra costs, the financial pressure could ultimately compel them to raise fees to maintain their operations.
“We have not sat down and looked at the latest tariff hike,” he stated, suggesting that further discussions would determine the next steps.
Reports say that the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS) has already vowed to challenge the Federal Government in court over the 50 per cent tariff increase.