NLC Declares Nationwide Protest Against 50% Telecom Tariff Hike

By Mohammed Kabeer

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced a nationwide protest slated for Tuesday, February 4, to oppose the Federal Government’s approval of a 50 percent increase in telecommunications tariffs.

The decision was reached during the ongoing National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting of the NLC, where labor leaders emphasized that the planned hike would further deepen economic hardship for Nigerian workers and the masses.

In a statement titled “50% Telecom Tariff Hike: Another Burden Too Harsh!”, NLC President Joe Ajaero condemned the move, calling it “a clear assault on workers’ welfare” and an indication that the government prioritizes corporate profits over citizens’ well-being.

Ajaero noted that an average worker earning the minimum wage of N70,000 already spends about 10 percent of their salary on telecom services. With the proposed hike, this expenditure could rise to N10,500—approximately 15 percent of monthly earnings—making communication costs unsustainable for many Nigerians.

“The government approved this tariff hike in less than a month, yet it took almost a year to approve the recent minimum wage. This glaring disparity shows where its priorities lie,” Ajaero stated.

The NLC urged Nigerians to prepare for collective action, including a possible boycott of telecom services, to pressure the government into reversing what it described as an “unjustifiable” increase. The union also called on the National Assembly to intervene and halt the hike.

As tensions rise, the February 4 protest is expected to be a major showdown between labor unions and the government, with workers and civil society groups mobilizing against the policy.