NLC Urges Nigerians to Boycott Telecom Services Over Tariff Hike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on Nigerians to boycott telecom services in protest against the recent tariff hike, demanding fair pricing and consumer protection.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticized the decision by telecommunication companies to implement a 50% increase in tariffs, calling for an immediate return to the previous rates.

The NLC and the Federal Government previously formed a 10-member committee to discuss the tariff increase over two weeks and provide feedback before making any final decisions regarding the new telecom tariff structure.

Despite the agreement, telecom firms have gone ahead with the increase, leading NLC to set a March 1 deadline for a complete shutdown of their operations if the tariffs are not rolled back.

In a statement signed by President Joe Ajaero and General Secretary Emma Ugboaja after the NLC Central Working Committee met in Lokoja on Tuesday, the union charged telecom companies with breaching trust and bypassing proper procedures by increasing rates prior to completing the review conducted by the 10-member committee.

The Congress also condemned the government for failing to shield citizens from corporate exploitation.

To initiate resistance against the tariff increase, the NLC announced that starting on Thursday, February 13, 2025, Nigerian workers and any citizens willing to participate are encouraged to boycott MTN, AIRTEL, and GLO services daily from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM until February’s end.

It stated, “We urge all workers and citizens to stop purchasing Data from these companies as it has become one of their primary means of exploiting Nigerian citizens.”

We additionally insist on the return of all funds extracted from the country by these companies.

If the telecommunications companies do not revert to the previous tariff by February 2025, their operations across the nation will be completely shut down starting March 1, 2025.

The NLC instructed all its State Councils to immediately begin educating and rallying their members, as well as the general public, within their respective areas.

It also asked its Affiliate Unions to encourage their members nationwide to maintain electronic silence during the specified hours.

During the meeting, the union also reviewed the ongoing discussions concerning the Tax Reform Bills under consideration by the government.

Recognizing the necessity for fiscal reforms, Congress emphasizes that any tax policies should be crafted to ease the burdens on Nigerian workers rather than exacerbate current economic difficulties.

In the meantime, after a motion of urgent national importance was introduced by member Oboku Oforji, the House of Representatives on Tuesday urged an immediate pause on the 50% increase in telecom tariffs.

The House also criticized the inadequate service provided by telecom operators and emphasized that tariffs should not be raised until there is an improvement in service quality.

The legislators instructed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, to halt the tariff hike due to the country’s economic difficulties.