Niger Partners with MTN to Offer Civil Servants Unlimited Calls for N550 Monthly
To ease the impact of rising telecommunications costs, the Niger State government has introduced a Closed User Group (CUG) plan for public and civil servants.
According to the Commissioner of Communications and Digital Economy, Suleiman Isah, members of the CUG can call their colleagues, superiors, and family members within the group at a reduced rate of N1 per minute.
Currently, the average call rate in Nigeria is about N16.50 per minute, following a 50% tariff hike approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), compared to the previous N11 per minute.
The Commissioner announced that the Ministry of Communications Technology and Digital Economy is collaborating with MTN Nigeria to implement this initiative.
“This will allow CUG members to make calls within the group without credit deductions after paying a monthly service fee of just ₦550. This would be deducted from their phone credit, not their salary. Additionally, members can add their spouse(s) to the plan for better connectivity.”
Isah emphasized that the initiative is open to state and local government employees, political appointees, and casual workers. However, participation is voluntary.
Those interested must register through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
Many civil servants have shown interest in the program, expressing concerns about the financial strain caused by the increased call tariffs.
