Nigeria: Who Is Responsible For Vendors’ Recharge Cards Hike?

When the cost of recharge cards increased in December last year, many believed it was as a result of its scarcity during the yuletide season but surprisingly, the hike has persisted for over nine weeks. The arbitrary increase is applicable to only MTN recharge cards in most parts of Lagos and Ogun state.

In Lagos, a N100 MTN recharge card is now sold for N110, while the N200 denomination is now sold for N210. The N400 card is sold for N420, while the N750 and N1,500 recharge cards now sell for N780 and N1,550 respectively.

The subject in the last couple of weeks has continued to generate acquisition and counter-acquisition from some stakeholders. 

Commercial Telephonists, SIMs, and Recharge Cards Retailers Association of Nigeria (COTSARCRAN) said the increment was from MTN.

The little known COTSARCRAN which was registered only on January this year, said it will only revert to the normal prices when MTN and the dealers have removed the added on their bulk purchases.

In a recent report, the president of COTSARCRAN, Mr. Adie Thomas Akomaye, on behalf of the entire members of the COTSARCRAN, appealed to MTN subscribers and the general public over the N10 increment on MTN recharge cards by MTN Company and its dealers.

MTN, has however denied any increment insisting that the face value of all its recharge card denominations remain the same. 

But MTN however claimed value of its recharge card denominations remain the same, saying its recharge vouchers come in the following denominations: N1, 500, N750, N400, N200 and N100 and none of the prices has been reviewed upward.

Corporate services executive, MTN Nigeria, Wale Goodluck said: “We have not effected a price increase and the retail price of the various denominations of our recharge cards and recharge vouchers remain the same.

“Any such hike is contrary to MTN’s wishes or knowledge. MTN has a well-established distribution structure and all our authorised partners within this structure are obliged to sell recharge cards at their face value.

 “Any variance from the authorised face value of recharge cards is without MTN’s knowledge or authority,” he said.

Elsewhere, NCC distanced itself from the controversy, stating that its establishing act does not permit NCC to regulate matters on SIM cards and recharge cards sales.

But the little known COTSARCRAN which was registered only on January this year, said it will only revert to the normal prices when MTN and the dealers have removed the added on their bulk purchases.

Now, the question many Nigerians have continued to ask is: who is responsible for vendors’ recharge card hike?