…Over 50% Tariff Hike
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern warning to telecom operators, threatening a total shutdown of their operations if they fail to reverse the recent 50% tariff hike. The labour movement has set February 29, 2025, as the deadline for compliance, vowing to take action starting March 1 if their demand is ignored.
The NLC’s decision emerged from its Central Working Committee meeting in Lokoja, Kogi State. In a communique signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero and General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja, the union described the tariff increase as “arbitrary” and an “exploitation of Nigerian citizens.” The statement, reported by THIS DAY, emphasized that Nigerian workers would not tolerate the price hike.
To kick off its resistance, the NLC announced a daily boycott of MTN, Airtel, and Glo services between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM until the end of February. The communique urged workers and the general public to avoid purchasing data from these companies, calling it “one of their greatest tools for exploitation.”
The labor union also called for an investigation into the telecom firms’ financial activities, demanding that any funds “siphoned out of the country” be repatriated. It instructed NLC State Councils to begin sensitization campaigns and mobilization efforts across the country. Additionally, all affiliated unions were urged to observe “electronic silence” during the designated hours to amplify the protest.
“If the telecommunications companies fail to revert to the old tariff by the end of February 2025, a total shutdown of their operations nationwide will commence from March 1, 2025,” the statement read.
Beyond the telecom issue, the NLC weighed in on the government’s ongoing tax reform discussions. While acknowledging the need for fiscal adjustments, the union insisted that new tax policies must ease the financial strain on Nigerian workers rather than exacerbate their hardship. The labor body pledged to engage with relevant authorities to push for fair and worker-friendly tax reforms.
With tensions rising and the March 1 deadline fast approaching, the standoff between the NLC and telecom firms could disrupt millions of Nigerians’ daily communication and business activities. Whether the telecom companies will back down or brace for a nationwide shutdown remains to be seen.
SOURCE: NEWSMAN247