NLC to Hold Nationwide Protest Against 50% Telecom Tariff Hike on February 4
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced a nationwide protest against the recent 50% increase in telecom tariffs. The protest is scheduled for Tuesday, February 4, and was finalized during the National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting of the NLC. The demonstration aims to send a strong warning to the government, highlighting the negative impact of the tariff hike on Nigerian workers and the general public. The NLC insists that the increase will worsen the already high poverty rate and make life even more difficult for struggling citizens.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently approved a 50% increase in mobile network tariffs, a move the NLC strongly opposes. On January 22, the labor union rejected the hike, calling it an unjust burden on Nigerians during a time of economic hardship. NLC President, Joe Ajaero, described the approval as “a clear assault on workers’ welfare and an abandonment of the people to corporate fat cats.†He emphasized that telecom services are essential for communication, work, and access to information. With the new hike, a worker earning the minimum wage of N70,000 will now spend up to N10,500 monthly on telecom services, increasing the financial strain on already struggling households. The NLC vows to resist the tariff hike and demands its immediate reversal.
