The recent public apology issued by Nigeria’s biggest telecommunication operator, MTN in response to the complaints by citizens over its 200% tariff increase in data bundles has been met with widespread condemnation from Nigerians, who have expressed dissatisfaction and frustration on the company’s manner of handling issues.
The apology, intended to comfort customers affected by the tariff hike, has been widely criticized for its tone, language, and content, with many people feeling that it was insincere, dismissive, and unapologetic.
For many Nigerians, the apology was seen as a slap in the face, indicating that the company was not taking their concerns seriously and was more interested in profiting from their misery than providing them with quality services at affordable rates.
The criticism of MTN’s apology has been fierce and unrelenting, with many people calling for the company to take responsibility for its actions, apologize sincerely, and reverse the tariff hike that has caused so many challenges for individuals unable to afford the new charges.
MTN’s apology came two days after it increased the cost of its internet bundles, raising the price of its 15GB plan from N2,000 to N6,000, a staggering 200% hike that had affected millions of customers across the country.
While citizens expected the telecom to address the issue, provide reasons for the development, or offer a more efficient service to its customers, it instead tendered a message in Nigerian Pidgin, which was perceived as unprofessional and led many to question the company’s seriousness.
The operator on Thursday, took to its official social media page to acknowledge the public’s frustration, but the response fell flat, as it ignorantly asked Nigerians to ‘forgive and forget’ and continue supporting them, citing the reason for the price hike as a ‘long story’ without providing any further explanation.
It said, ” To our 15G digital bundle lovers, you dey vex. We know. We know how upsetting it must have been to suddenly wake up to a 200% increase on your favorite digital bundle”
We could share several reasons, and provide explanations, but omo, all that one na story. We don cast. We get it and admit it. Let’s just say na mistake In this love season, don’t stay angry with us. Please forgive and forget. You matter die and we will never stop showing you how much. Let’s continue our relationship”
The apology, however, has been met with criticism and outrage from Nigerians, who replied to MTN’s post on X to express their disappointment and anger. Many have slammed the company for its nonchalant response, with some even questioning the intelligence of the person who wrote the apology.
A user said, “This is supposed to be an apology? Who thought this was cute to write & who approved it? No empathy, no accountability”>
Another replied, “Let’s just say it was a mistake. Increase your tariffs, it’s your right as a business but offering bad services & giving this apology is a slap to our face”.
While MTN has increased its tariffs, other telecom operators in Nigeria, such as Airtel, 9mobile, and Glo, have chosen not to follow suit. This has raised eyebrows among industry watchers, who are wondering why the biggest operator felt the need to double prices while its competitors have maintained their current pricing.
