NLC Set for Showdown Over Telecom Tariff Hike
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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans for a nationwide protest against the proposed 50 per cent increase in telecom tariffs, approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The decision, outlined in a communiqué signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero, was reached at the union’s National Administrative Council meeting on 29 January.
The move has garnered the backing of several civil society organisations, including the Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre, the National Civil Society Council of Nigeria, and the Take It Back Movement. In a show of solidarity, these groups have condemned the tariff hike, pledging full participation in the demonstrations.
Ajaero denounced the increase as “insensitive, unjustifiable, and a direct assault on Nigerian workers and the general populace,” arguing that it would further burden citizens already grappling with economic hardship. “This decision is too harsh for Nigerians who are barely surviving amid spiralling inflation, soaring food prices, and exorbitant energy costs,” he stated.
In a direct challenge to the government, Ajaero warned that failure to reverse the hike could trigger a nationwide boycott of telecommunication services. “The NLC is fully prepared to escalate its actions, including mass action and withdrawal of services, to resist policies that exacerbate poverty and inequality,” he added.
The NCC had approved the tariff hike following demands from telecom operators for a 100 per cent increase, citing rising operational costs. The industry, however, maintains that the adjustment is necessary for sustaining service quality.
Tony Emoekpere, chairman of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, criticised the NLC’s stance, arguing that price increases in other sectors had gone unchallenged. “When transport fares rose or the cost of essential goods spiked, we saw no protests. Why single out telecoms?” he questioned.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (ATCIS) has sought a compromise, urging regulators to cap the increase at 10 per cent. Having participated in negotiations with the NCC, ATCIS President Sina Bilesanmi dismissed the NLC’s protest as misplaced, insisting that the tariff hike was “finalised” and “here to stay.”
With organised labour set for a confrontation and industry players defending the increase, the battle over telecom tariffs underscores the deepening tension between economic realities and public outcry in Nigeria.
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