The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has demanded that the 50% increase in telecommunications tariffs be immediately reversed. This demand was expressed in a statement jointly signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero and General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja on Wednesday in Abuja.
Following the end of the NLC’s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Lokoja, Kogi State, the communiqué was released.
The proposed 50% fee hike prompted the National Administrative Council (NAC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to call for a one-day mass rally at all NCC offices nationwide.
The NLC and the Federal Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that established a 10-member committee to discuss the issue and provide a report on the main issues brought up by the Congress in two weeks.
The telecom firms, however, proceeded to impose the increased tariff increase.
Ajaero called the telecoms firms’ move a violation of trust and denounced it.
The CWC accused the government of favoring the wealthy over the general populace and characterized the tariff increase as another example of regulatory capture.
The CWC also demanded that the tariff increase, which went into force that day, be immediately reversed. It demanded that until the committee finished its discussions and came to a final decision, the companies should go back to the prior rate.
The CWC has instructed Nigerian employees and other willing citizens to boycott MTN, AIRTEL, and GLO services every day between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. as a first move in opposing the arbitrary pricing increase.
Beginning on Thursday, February 13, 2025, and lasting until the end of February 2025, this boycott will take place.
Additionally, he called on employees and residents to stop buying data from these businesses, claiming that they had turned into instruments for taking advantage of Nigerians. He called for the return of any money that these telecom companies had embezzled from the nation.
He added that a complete statewide suspension of the telecom companies’ operations would start on March 1, 2025, if they did not return to the previous pricing by the end of February 2025.
“All NLC state councils are directed to begin immediate sensitisation and mobilisation of their members and the general public within their jurisdictions.
“We also urge all NLC affiliate unions to mobilise their members across the country to observe electronic silence during the designated hours.”