IT News Nigeria:
A recent study by United Kingdom (UK)-based Cable identified Nigeria as the fourth cheapest in mobile data worldwide, disputing the recent claims by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami that Nigeria ranks among the highest in data price.
According to the report, based on average cost of 1 Gigabyte of mobile data per country, India is leading as the cheapest country for mobile data selling at $0.26, followed by Russia with $0.91 and Italy $1.73 with Nigeria coming fourth at $2.22, followed closely by Australia with $2.47, within the top five cheapest countries.
France got the 6th position with mobile data selling at $2.99, followed by Brazil at $3.50, Spain at $3.79, United Kingdom took the 9th position with $6.66 and Germany crowned the top 10 cheapest on average cost of 1GB mobile data at $6.66, among others.
Some 6,313 mobile data plans in 230 countries were gathered and analyzed by Cable, within the period under review.
These figures greatly diverge from the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy’s claims when he said recently that “data price being charged in Nigeria is among the highest even compared to countries that have far less population than Nigeria.”
Recalled, Pantami said “the directive followed incessant complaints he received from subscribers against the telecoms companies on the high cost and illegal deduction of data, which he said he would not allow to continue… data price being charged in Nigeria is among the highest even compared to countries that have far less population than Nigeria.”
This industry expects the honorable Minister to issue press statements based on reliable information.
