The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly opposed the 50 per cent increase in telecom tariffs recently approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), arguing that it is unfair and will worsen the economic hardship of ordinary Nigerians. Instead, the labour union has proposed a more modest five per cent increase.
In addition, the NLC has insisted on going ahead with a nationwide protest on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, to push back against the tariff hike, which it describes as “insensitive and unjustifiable.”
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, NLC spokesman Benson Upah condemned the tariff hike, calling it an unnecessary burden on Nigerians.
“They keep on emasculating us through stupid taxes. It will come to a point when people can pay, but they won’t pay. This really is to halt this mindless tariff increase,” Upah said.
He argued that while some level of increase may be necessary, a 50 per cent hike is unacceptable.
He said, “If by any chance there has to be an increase at all, five per cent, given the fact of our situation that there have been increases across the board. But now to say 50 per cent, it is not going to work. Where will the ordinary Nigerians be at the end of the day when we have energy tariff increases?”
After its National Administrative Council meeting on Wednesday, NLC President Joseph Ajaero issued a statement rejecting the tariff hike. He described the decision as “a direct assault on Nigerian workers and the general populace.”
The NLC said the planned protest on February 4 will go ahead as scheduled, with rallies held nationwide to express dissatisfaction with the telecom tariff adjustment.
Upah reaffirmed that the union is ready to take further action if necessary.
He said, “We will start with peaceful rallies, and if those peaceful rallies do not work, we will escalate our actions. Our actions will be reasonable and within the ambit of the law. It is going to be effective, and there will be mass actions, the type we probably haven’t seen before.”
The NCC had earlier announced on January 20 that it approved the 50 per cent increase in telecom tariffs due to rising operational costs and the need to sustain the industry.
A statement signed by the NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, said the decision aligns with its regulatory responsibilities under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
Despite this explanation, the NLC insists that the increase is unjustified and will only add to the economic struggles of Nigerian citizens.