Nigeria's telecom regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has finally approved a 50% tariff hike for telecom operators, a move that has sparked mixed reactions from industry players and experts. The new rates, which will take effect next week, will see calls, SMS, and internet bundles become pricier, but not drastically so.

The tariff hike is the result of 11 years of back-and-forth debates between the NCC and telecom operators, who have been pushing for a rate increase to offset rising operational costs. According to industry bigwigs, the hike is a welcome move, but it only addresses part of the problem. Tony Izuagbe Emoekere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), and Gbenga Adebayo, President of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), have expressed concerns that higher tariffs won't magically fix multiple taxation, neglected infrastructure, or the maze that is right-of-way approvals.

The NCC hopes that the tariff hike will help telecom operators invest in better services, but industry players are already eyeing full deregulation. "Let the market decide!" they cry, likely while clutching their spreadsheets. With inflation zooming past 33% and operational costs up 120%, operators like MTN and Airtel are just trying to keep their heads above water.

The NCC promises to keep an eye on service quality because nothing says "progress" like paying more for a slightly improved internet speed. Welcome to the future of telecom—where survival meets comedy. Meanwhile, the industry awaits the impact of this tariff hike on consumers and the overall telecom landscape.

In related news, SeamlessHR, a Nigerian HR tech software company, explored acquiring PaidHR, a competitor in the space. The acquisition talks didn't progress into a formal deal, but industry stakeholders claim that Nigeria's HR tech space is ripe for consolidation.

Additionally, Kenya has passed its Startup Bill, which mandates startups to allocate 15% of their expenses to research and development (R&D), and maintain 100% Kenyan ownership to qualify for government support. Critics argue that the execution may stifle the very growth it seeks to achieve, and Kenya could consider a flexible approach that offers tiered R&D investment targets based on companies' sizes or stages, and allow for partial foreign ownership.

Finally, the Lagos Tech Fest is set to hold its fifth edition from February 19–20, 2025, at the Landmark Event Center, VI, Lagos. The event gathers startups, innovators, investors, and government representatives to shape Nigeria's tech future through conferences, exhibitions, networking, and driving ecosystem investments.