The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Monday, directed mobile telephone operators in the country to jerk up data tariffs with effect from December 1.
Imediately the message hit the providers, giant telco, MTN sent messages to its customers announcing that there would be an increase in its data tariffs on December 1.
“Dear customer, please be informed that from December 1, some MTN data tariffs will be increased to reflect the new rates set by the NCC to operators,” the short message from the telco read. While some people may find whatever increase that will be made “insignificant”, some people will severely suffer from it.
Here is a list of five groups of Nigerians who will be affected the most.
1. App and Software Developers: Because of the nature of their work, these people rely heavily on on data to work effectively. Many of them have to watch loads and loads of tutorial videos to see how their counterparts are solving their work related challenges. With the sudden data increase, they are definitely going to suffer.
2. Upcoming Bloggers: Of course upcoming bloggers need to need to be online most of the time so that they can keep the news on whatever they are writing fresh and immediate. Don’t forget too that upcoming bloggers have millions of already achieved outfits to compete with, so with an increase in data tarrif and the current recession hitting Nigeria hard, many of them will be pushed out of the market.
3. Digital Marketers: Digital marketing is an umbrella term for the marketing of products or services using digital technologies, mainly on the Internet, but also including mobile phones, display advertising, and any other digital medium. Of course they use all the web 2.o solutions, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Websites, Linkedin and so on. How will they survive if the tarrif is increased?
4. Research Students: Tetiary institution students who have to make a lot of researches for projects term papers and class presentations would definitly be affected. Of course most of them have to depend on their parents or sponsors to finance these things, thus it is going to a kind of avalanche effect on these category of people.
5. Gamers (multiplayer mode): As technology improves, the computer gaming landscape has become hugely robust all over the world. You will be shocked how many Nigerians go online to play games in the multiplayer mode regularly. Unfortunately, these source of entertainment and business for many people will be terribly affected with the data hike.
