The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday declared that its members would commence a nationwide strike on Tuesday, February 4, against the proposed 50 per cent increase in telecom tariffs.
TheNewsGuru reports that the organized labour threat followed the announcement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025, that it gave the approval for telecom operators to raise tariffs by 50 per cent.
It would be recall that NLC, on January 22, rejected the 50 per cent increase in telecommunication tariffs, arguing that approving such a significant tariff hike while Nigerian workers are facing extraordinary economic challenges is a blatant attack on their well-being and a neglect of the people in favour of corporate interests.
In a statement titled “50% Telecom tariff hike: Another burden too harsh’, NLC’s President, Joe Ajaero, said: “The NLC expresses its unequivocal condemnation of the Federal Government’s recent approval, through the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, of a 50 percent 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 percent of their wages on telecom charges.
“For a worker earning the current minimum wage of N70,000, this means an increase from N7,000 to a staggering N10,500 per month or 15 percent of his salary — a cost that is unsustainable.
“This hike exemplifies the government’s apparent ease in prioritizing corporate profits over citizens’ welfare.