The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on Nigerians to prepare for a nationwide boycott of telecommunication services in response to the Federal Government’s approval of a 50% increase in telecom tariffs.
The labor union described the hike as an unjust burden on Nigerians already dealing with severe economic difficulties.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, NLC President Joe Ajaero expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, noting that the increase is coming at a time when inflation is high and the purchasing power of citizens is dwindling.
Ajaero explained that telecommunication services are no longer a luxury but a necessity for everyday life, including work, communication, and access to information.
He said, “The Nigeria Labour Congress expresses its unequivocal condemnation of the Federal Government’s recent approval, through the Nigerian Communications Commission, of a 50% increase in telecommunication tariffs.
“This decision, coming at a time when Nigerian workers and the masses are grappling with unprecedented economic hardship, is a clear assault on their welfare and an abandonment of the people to corporate fat cats.
“Telecommunication services are essential for daily communication, work, and access to information. Yet, an average Nigerian worker already spends approximately 10% of their wages on telecom charges.
“For a worker earning the current minimum wage of ₦70,000, this means an increase from ₦7,000 to a staggering ₦10,500 per month or 15% of his salary — a cost that is unsustainable.”
“This hike exemplifies the government’s apparent ease in prioritising corporate profits over citizens’ welfare.
“We must ask: When will the government stand for the people it swore to protect? When will the National Assembly rise to its responsibility and hold the executive accountable for policies that blatantly undermine the welfare of the majority? When will the common man heave a sigh of relief in Nigeria?”
“NLC is not opposed to a tariff review but disagrees with the approved rate of increase. “We therefore call on the government, the NCC and the National Assembly to stop the implementation of this ill-advised hike to allow a reasonable conversation around it.
“If the dialogue agrees on the need for the hike, then, we can all seek a more humane increase and definitely not this 50% hike,” Ajaero said.
He added, “The NLC calls on all Nigerian workers and masses to reject this unjustifiable tariff hike. We urge citizens to prepare for collective action, including the possibility of a nationwide boycott of telecommunication services, to compel the reversal of this punitive increase.
“This is for our dignity, our rights, and our survival as a people. The Nigeria Labour Congress remains resolute in defending the interests of Nigerian workers and the masses. We will not allow the people to bear the brunt of policies that further entrench poverty and inequality.
“Together, we will do our best to resist this injustice and demand that the government prioritises the interests of its citizens over corporate interests.”
