The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called off its planned nationwide protest scheduled for March 1, 2025, after striking a deal with the Federal Government to cap the increase in telecommunications tariffs at 35 percent. The decision, reported by The PUNCH, marks a compromise following weeks of heated negotiations.
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers welcomed the agreement on Thursday but urged the government to introduce additional relief measures to cushion the impact on consumers and telecom operators. The revised tariff adjustment comes after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had initially approved a 50 percent hike on January 20, marking the first major increase in over a decade.
Telecom operators, citing soaring operational costs driven by inflation and naira depreciation, had initially pushed for a 100 percent increase. However, government intervention led to a downward revision, culminating in the 35 percent adjustment. Labour leaders, wary of the strain on Nigerians, had threatened mass protests before reaching the compromise.
Sources within the NLC revealed that discussions with federal officials resulted in the establishment of a 10-member committee tasked with refining the details of the new pricing framework.
The committee is expected to ensure that the agreement balances industry sustainability with consumer affordability.
With the protest shelved, attention now turns to how the revised tariff structure will impact Nigerians already grappling with economic hardship.
