The Nationalist has been informed that the proposed tariff adjustment in voice and data is imminent but that the tariff on daily and social media data bundles, used by majority of subscribers, will not be affected.

According to our sources, this came about after the one-day dialogue and engagement in December 2022 at the Country Lodge in Freetown with mobile network operators, the Minister of Information, the Consumer Protection Agency, the media, the regulatory body of all mobile companies (NatCA), Civil Society Organizations, Okada riders, market women, Kekeh riders and other stakeholders in the country that endorsed the minimal tariff increment.

Our sources state further that this engagement was held to seek the views of members of the public on the challenges faced by the mobile network operators in the country due to the huge increase in the exchange rate of the dollar coupled with other challenges. They add that it was a continuation of the engagement with the management of NatCA, the regulatory body of all MNOs, for the tariff review for the past four months.

It is reported that NatCA has scheduled further meetings with Orange, Africell, and Qcell mobile phone companies to discuss the tariff review which is expected to take effect before the weekend.

“In the next 24 hours, MNOs and NatCA would have reached an agreement on the final tariff,” our sources said, stating further that in the previous engagements all mobile network operators committed that their business would continue to support the growth and development of the country.