Who Is Monitoring Data Prices? Telecoms Continue Charging Above PURA Cap
Dr Njogu Bah DG of PURA © Askanwi
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
Almost one week into 2026, Askanwi Media can reveal that only Comium appears to be complying with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s (PURA) newly announced data price ceiling. Months after over 23 protestors were jailed for petitioning PURA’s D50 per 1GB price floor, PURA eventually succumbed to their demands to abolish the price floor and introduce a price ceiling, but it appears telecom companies are still not in compliance.
Less than three weeks ago, on 19th December 2025, PURA officials held a press conference announcing that the D50 per 1GB price floor, which had ended promotional data offers in August 2025 and driven up data costs, would be abolished effective 1st January 2026.
In its place, PURA introduced a price ceiling, which it said would reduce the cost of mobile data from as high as D130 per 1GB to D75 per 1GB.
Speaking at the press conference, Mr Burama Jammeh, PURA’s Director of Economic Regulation, stated that “at some point, some operators were charging D130 per gigabyte. Now, the maximum anyone can charge is D75 per gigabyte.”
Mr Jammeh further explained that “previously, the lowest price you could charge was D50. Now, that has been replaced by the maximum price you can charge, which is D75 per 1GB.”
Mr Burama Jammeh of PURA © Askanwi
To verify whether GSM operators are complying with the new data price ceiling and whether PURA is actively monitoring data prices, Askanwi Media reviewed all the standard prices of data from the GSM operators and contacted PURA staff for clarification.
Our reporter was informed by a PURA staff member that Mr Jammeh was unavailable, while other PURA officials were in a meeting. The staff also noted that PURA staff would respond at a later time. Askanwi Media will continue to pursue their response and update the public accordingly.
A review of standard data tariffs (excluding promotional offers) across all mobile networks shows that only Comium is currently in compliance, charging D65 per 1GB.
In contrast, Africell and QCell are both charging D130 per 1GB, while Gamcel’s data plan stands at an alarming D270 per 1GB, placing it at the extreme end of the pricing spectrum.
See the chart below digitised after checking standard prices of data on the 6th of January 2026.
PURA Price Ceiling Compliance by 6th January 2026 © Askanwi
It will be recalled that at least 23 activists were forcefully arrested and charged with unlawful assembly on 22nd August 2025, after protesting against PURA’s D50 per 1GB price floor. The activists had petitioned PURA to suspend the price floor and introduce a price ceiling instead.
After spending three days on remand at Mile 2 Prison, the activists were released on bail and continue to face legal proceedings. During their detention, the Office of the President established a committee, led by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, to review the price floor and make recommendations to PURA.
In December, the Minister for Communications and Digital Economy informed Parliament that the committee had completed its work and had directed PURA to suspend the price floor effective 16th October 2025. Months later, PURA finally held a press conference announcing that it would abolish the price floor and introduce a price ceiling, effectively conceding to the advocates’ demands.
The fact that only Comium has complied with PURA’s directive [well before the introduction of the price ceiling] raises questions around PURA’s monitoring of its price ceiling. Meanwhile, the introduction of the price floor, which benefited the telecoms companies, did not observe any delays.
Given the high data prices, most telecoms subscribers purchase promotional internet packages as opposed to the more expensive standard data rates; however, this does not excuse the fact that standard data prices are currently capped at D75 per 1 GB.
It remains to be seen whether the charges of unlawful assembly against the 23 activists will be dropped—and whether Africell, QCell, and Gamcel will comply with PURA’s data price ceiling in the days ahead.
PURA Price Floor Protest © Askanwi
