The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its planned nationwide protest against the Federal Government’s approval of a 50 percent increase in telecom tariffs. The decision came after a meeting between NLC leaders and government representatives at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja on Monday.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had defended the tariff hike, citing increased operational costs due to inflation, currency fluctuations, and higher energy expenses. The regulator stated that the adjustment aligned with its responsibility under the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, to ensure the financial sustainability of the telecom industry.
However, the NLC rejected the increase, calling it unjustifiable and an added burden on Nigerian consumers. The union had initially planned to mobilize workers from various sectors, including electricity and aviation, to stage mass protests. NLC President Joe Ajaero reaffirmed the union’s stance, stating, “After extensive discussions, the following resolutions were reached: NAC-in-session totally rejects the 50 per cent telecom tariff hike, which it considers too harsh for citizens. It, therefore, strongly condemns the Nigerian Communications Commission’s decision to approve the increase.”
Telecom operators, on the other hand, insisted that the increase was necessary to maintain service quality and expand networks amid rising costs. The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, noted, “This increase is a lifeline that enables us to survive. Anything lower would be like giving someone who needs 100 litres of oxygen only a fraction—barely enough to keep them alive but insufficient for long-term survival.”
Despite the initial tension, the NLC agreed to suspend its protest after the government proposed a broader committee to review the entire telecom tariff structure. According to Ajaero, the committee will include five representatives from both the government and the labour union, with a two-week deadline to present its findings. He noted, “We emphasised that the NLC is the largest organisation in Africa, and no stakeholder consultation can exclude us and still stand. On that basis, they agreed to form a broader committee to ensure a fair and inclusive agreement to look at the entire tariff structure as a model to come out with a realistic and all-inclusive agreement.”
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, confirmed that the tariff increase was based on a study conducted by the NCC. He stated that both parties agreed to review the findings of the study before making a final decision. “Labour has agreed that they will look at that study, and then a small committee has been set up to look at that study once again and come up with a final resolution for the consideration of government and Labour in about two weeks,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN), which had initially supported the protest, also announced the suspension of its planned demonstrations. Following a high-level meeting with NCC officials, the council decided to take a more analytical approach by setting up a five-member technical committee to examine the financial records of telecom operators.
The council’s Executive Director, Blessing Akinlosotu, noted that after reviewing economic data and operational costs, the council realized the financial strain telecom companies had been facing. “After the tensed and robust engagement with the Management of NCC, we further set up a 5-Man Technical Committee to carefully study documents presented to us and asked the Committee to do clinical and forensic examination of available records of operational costs and annual profits margins of some major Telecom Service Providers in Nigeria, with critical assessments of Financial Statements.”
