The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its proposed nationwide protest scheduled for March 1, 2025, following an agreement with the Federal Government to reduce the previously announced telecom tariff hike from 50% to 35%.
The decision, which was reached after negotiations between the labour union and the government, was welcomed by the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS), though the group urged telcos to introduce further relief measures to cushion the impact on consumers.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had earlier announced a 50% tariff increase on January 20, 2025, citing inflation and rising operational costs in the telecom sector. Industry operators had initially pushed for a 100% hike before government intervention led to a compromise.
Confirming the new agreement, an NLC insider revealed that a 10-member committee was set up to review and finalize the adjustment. “The 50% increase has now been reduced to 35% following negotiations,” the source stated.
While the NLC had initially opposed any significant hike, the Lagos State chapter chairperson, Funmi Sessi, criticized the government’s role in determining telecom prices, insisting that any adjustment should be gradual and not exceed 15% to ease economic pressure on Nigerians.
Meanwhile, NATCOMS President Adeolu Ogunbanjo welcomed the reduction but expressed disappointment that the association was not included in the committee’s deliberations. “We advocated for lower rates, and at least a 15% reduction was achieved, but more needs to be done to support subscribers,” he stated.
As discussions continue, industry stakeholders, including the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, have yet to officially comment on the tariff adjustment.