12
Feb
Feb
NLC THREATENS NATIONWIDE TELECOM SHUTDOWN OVER 50% TARIFF HIKE
-
Nicolas Adekeye / 2 months
- 0
- 2 min read
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly condemned the recent 50% tariff hike by telecommunications companies, describing it as a “betrayal of trust, an affront to the principles of negotiation, and a direct slap on the government and its institutions and a disdain for Nigerian people”. The NLC Central Working Committee (CWC) met in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, to deliberate on pressing national issues, including the tariff hike. The committee expressed grave concern over the implementation of the hike, despite an earlier agreement reached with the Federal Government and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The NLC demands an immediate reversal of the tariff hike and insists that the companies revert to the previous tariff until the committee completes its deliberations and reaches a conclusive agreement. As a first step in resisting the hike, the NLC has directed a boycott of the services of MTN, AIRTEL, and GLO daily between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM until the end of February 2025. The NLC also urges all workers and citizens to suspend the purchase of data from these companies, which has become one of their greatest tools for exploiting Nigerian citizens. 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. In addition to the tariff hike, the NLC also reviewed the ongoing discussions around the Tax Reform Bills being considered by the government. The Congress insists that any tax policies must be designed to alleviate the burdens on Nigerian workers and not worsen the existing economic hardship. The NLC shall engage with relevant authorities to ensure that tax reforms are fair, equitable, and worker-friendly. The Congress calls on all Nigerians to unite in this struggle against exploitative economic policies and to actively participate in the outlined actions to demand justice and fairness in telecommunications, taxation, and transportation policies.
