The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans for a nationwide protest on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, to oppose the 50% increase in telecommunication tariffs recently approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The decision was reached during an emergency National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting of the NLC, where labor leaders resolved to mobilize workers and citizens against the tariff hike, which they claim will exacerbate economic hardship across the country.
The NCC’s approval of the telecom tariff increase has sparked outrage, with NLC President, Joe Ajaero, condemning it as a direct attack on workers’ welfare.
Ajaero argued that the hike: Will increase telecom expenses from 10% to 15% of an average worker’s salary, making communication unaffordable for many, comes at a time of severe economic hardship, further burdening Nigerians; benefits corporate interests at the expense of struggling citizens.
“For a worker earning the minimum wage of ₦70,000, this means their monthly telecom expenses will rise from ₦7,000 to ₦10,500, which is unsustainable,” Ajaero stated.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) have also condemned the tariff hike, warning that it could lead to greater economic difficulties for Nigerians.
The Federal Government and NCC have defended the tariff increase, citing rising operational costs in the telecom sector. However, labor unions insist that the hike is unjustifiable and have vowed to shut down major cities on February 4 unless the decision is reversed.
