The federal government is set to hold discussions with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday in an effort to prevent the nationwide protest scheduled for Tuesday against the recent 50% hike in telecommunications tariffs.
According to a reliable source, who chose to remain anonymous, the meeting between government officials and NLC leaders is expected to take place at 5 p.m. The discussions aim to address key national concerns affecting Nigerian workers, particularly the contentious tariff increase.
The meeting, described as an inter-ministerial dialogue, will be chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and is intended to resolve grievances raised by the NLC and its allies regarding the tariff adjustment approved by the federal government.
Meanwhile, the NLC has been actively mobilizing workers for a large-scale demonstration on February 4, strongly opposing the new telecom charges. Last Thursday, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged affiliate unions and state councils to rally Nigerians in protest, sending a strong message to authorities.
The 50% tariff hike, approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025, has been met with widespread rejection among telecom subscribers. The National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, led by Adeolu Ogunbanjo, has even announced plans to take legal action against the federal government over the increase.
Ogunbanjo suggested that any necessary tariff adjustment should not exceed 10%, considering the economic challenges already faced by Nigerians. However, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, defended the decision, attributing the hike to global inflation.