The Chief Executive of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, has said the telecommunications firm has sent a proposal to the Nigerian Communications Commission for a 100 percent service tariff increase.

He disclosed this during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday.

However, the CEO expressed that it remains uncertain whether the Nigerian Communications Commission, the telecom regulator, will approve the proposal owing to existing economic hardship in the country.

“We’ve put forward requests of approximately 100 percent tariff increases to regulators.

“I doubt they’re going to approve that quantum of increases because they are very, very sensitive to the current economic situation in the country,” Toriola said.

This comes amid heightened speculation of an imminent telecom service tariff hike in Nigeria, this year.

The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, recently threatened a shutdown of operations without a tariff hike.

However, telecom subscribers rejected any move to hike tariffs.