NewStats: 3,259,755 , 8,170,838 topics. Date: Sunday, 25 May 2025 at 10:34 PM 1x335h

Organised Labour through the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has forced the Federal Government to reduce telecommunications tariff hike from 50 percent to 35 percent.

Vanguard gathered that the reduction followed a meeting of the 10-man committee comprising government and NLC representatives at the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, on Friday, February 21, 2025.

According to government sources, an official communique announcing the tariff reduction is expected to be released any moment from Saturday, February 22.

It was gathered that the meeting started around 4 pm and ended about 7 pm, where NLC representatives insisted that the tariff hike must be withdrawn.

Sources informed Vanguard that after much pressure from NLC representatives in the 10-man committee, the government and NCC buckled and agreed on 15 percent reduction.

Recall that NLC had on February 12, expressed outrage over the hike in tariff by telecommunications companies despite an earlier agreement reached with the Federal Government and the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and demanded immediate reversal of the hike to avoid unpleasant consequences.

According to NLC, “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.”

To show its seriousness, NLC declared that as a first step in resisting the arbitrary tariff hike, it directed that from Thursday, February 13, 2025, (today) workers and other willing citizens should boycott the services of MTN, AIRTEL, and GLO daily between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM until the end of February 2025.

Leaders of NLC in a communique at the end of their Central Working Committee, CWC, meeting in Lokoja, Kogi State, Tuesday, February 11, urged workers and citizens to suspend the purchase of data from the telecommunications companies which has also become one of their greatest tools for exploiting Nigerian citizens.

The communique signed by the President and General Secretary of Congress, Joe Ajaero and Emma Ugboaja, respectively, directed NLC State Councils and industrial union s to commence immediate sensitisation and mobilisation of their and the general public within their jurisdictions.

The communique reads “The CWC of the NLC was convened in Lokoja, Kogi State, Tuesday, February 11, 2025, to deliberate on pressing national issues, including the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike, the proposed Tax Reform Bills, and to rollout the Compressed Natural Gas CNG -powered buses for the North Central Zone of Nigeria.

Tariff hike
“The CWC received with grave concern the news that telecommunications companies have commenced the implementation of a 50 percent tariff hike today (February 11), despite an earlier agreement reached with the Federal Government and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). “It was recalled that a 10-man committee had been constituted to deliberate on the matter within two weeks and report back before any final decision would be made on the new telecom tariff structure.

“The CWC strongly condemns this action by the 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.

“CWC-in-session believes that this is a further demonstration of Regulatory capture and impotence in the midst of corporate onslaught and the continuing abandonment of workers and masses to corporate fat cats by the government.

“This unwarranted and premature tariff hike demands an immediate response from our collective resolve since government clearly favours the rich against the people.

Resolutions

“The CWC demands an immediate reversal of the tariff hike, which took effect today( February 11), 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 this arbitrary tariff hike, the CWC has directed that, beginning Thursday, February 13, 2025, Nigerian workers and other willing citizens shall boycott the services of MTN, AIRTEL, and GLO daily between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM until the end of February 2025.

“All workers and citizens are urged to suspend the purchase of Data from these companies which has also become one of their greatest tools for exploiting Nigerian citizens.

“We also demand the repatriation of all funds siphoned out of the country by these companies.

“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.

“All NLC State Councils are directed to commence immediate sensitization and mobilization of their and the general public within their jurisdictions.

“All NLC Unions are requested to mobilize their across the country to observe electronic silence during the designated hours.

“We implore all of our Civil society allies and other interested stakeholders are to us in making this action effective.”


Tax reform bills
On the Tax reform bills, the communique said “the CWC also reviewed the ongoing discussions around the Tax Reform Bills being considered by the government. While acknowledging the need for fiscal reforms, 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 Nigeria Labour Congress remains committed to defending the rights and welfare of Nigerian workers and citizens. The CWC 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.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/breaking-labour-forces-fg-to-reduce-telecom-tariff-hike-by-15/

Useless labour

online beggars go full ground. Nuisance/fighting go reduce..
Gone are the days of Osho baba

I think the right heading should be LABOUR GOES TO COLLECT THEIR OWN SHARE OF THE TELECOME HIKE

Labor leaders wey go negotiate slave wage for civil servants.

Civil servants in Nigeria deserve whatever treatment they’re getting right now.
Election has consequences

Just 15%? While the rich are cashing out, some people are here doing tribalism and insulting each other.
What do I even know sef aside enlightening my fellow men nationwide with the good news

Wahala

M7

And people still say that NLC isn't working. You people want them to shut down the economy and make the country lose billions before you know they are working. That's how people who have nothing to lose think.

I hate the use of the phrase "organized labour" to describe this bunch of disorganized thief's.

What is the point

Iro

It's like using fart to quench a fire outbreak.
NLC is a toothless German Shepherd.

That is how labour party would have forced Nigeria to work but yakubu traded our future and installed a total calamity..
Now see where we are now...
All those that voted for him are now begging money online upadan..
Even wike have gone into hiding lately.
Hope he is fine or his ogogoro money is finished. .

Labour under my foot

cenaman:
Useless labour

What prevents you from going to the street to protest.

Something sha have to be done concerning this hike o,,,e too much abeg

Not impressed .

10-15% max.

35% is outrageous.

They have finished my N10k data within 1wk. Just for watching 1 or 2mins video on Facebook.

Now apart nairaland and chatting, I'm afraid of leaving my data on.

MTN really took advantage of the hike.

I will try Airtel to see if they will be a little merciful. I'm scared of buying data now.

MaziObinnaokija:
online beggars go full ground. Nuisance/fighting go reduce..
Gone are the days of Osho baba

Something always surprised me 😂😂😂😂

Comparing Edo man with southeast man?

Osho Baba is a confirmed Edo man. Edo man don't make noises. They make sense.

Even at Senate, when he is contributing, everybody listen.

I wish labour Congress was a serious set of people. They will always come out with a nice aidea but At the end nothing will come out.

LibertyRep:
Not impressed .

10-15% max.

35% is outrageous.

You are probably doing business and have increased your price by over over 200% in the last year. Yet you want the telecoms to charge the same cost since 2013? Is that not wickedness

Hmmm, seems no one was checking, the telecom increased their tariff more than 50%. MTN pulse went from 0.11k to 0.23k thats about 109.1% increase. Ita not about making announcements, someone needs to check chem

Two things comes to mind.
I read somewhere last week people complaining the hike was about 100% and not 50%. I am surprised this wasn't mentioned.
Secondly, the topic is misleading. A reduction from 50% to 35% is a 30% reduction and not 15%.

ironheart:
Hmmm, seems no one was checking, the telecom increased their tariff more than 50%. MTN pulse went from 0.11k to 0.23k thats about 109.1% increase. Ita not about making announcements, someone needs to check chem

Exactly. They said 50%, but their increment was over 100%. Our consumer protection council sleeping on duty, as usual.

Do we still have labor in this country?

DaddyCash:
It's like using fart to quench a fire outbreak.
NLC is a toothless German Shepherd.

You probably meant Ekuke or Bingo.

Omoluabi16:
Exactly. They said 50%, but their increment was over 100%. Our consumer protection council sleeping on duty, as usual.

very true

Sms na 6 naira

MaziObinnaokija:
online beggars go full ground. Nuisance/fighting go reduce..
Gone are the days of Osho baba

I read somewhere you said you participated in the 1993 annuled election......and you mean you're this dense and base?

You're ing telecom increase so online nuisance will reduce?

Your thinking is embarrassing

cenaman:
Useless labour

What manner of slavery is this?

People are fighting to help you and you call them useless?

Grow some brain

Lalami3232:

Just 15%? While the rich are cashing out, some people are here doing tribalism and insulting each other.
What do I even know sef aside enlightening my fellow men nationwide with the good news

If they kept mum, you will complain
They tried to negotiate to 15%, you still complain.

Truly you know nothing like you said