The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has successfully compelled the Federal Government to scale down the recent telecommunications tariff increase from 50% to 35%.
Government Reduces Telecom Tariff After NLC Pressure
According to reports from Torizone, the decision was reached following a meeting between a 10-man committee consisting of government officials and NLC representatives at the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) on Friday, February 21, 2025.
Sources within the government informed Vanguard that an official statement confirming the tariff reduction is expected to be released on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
How NLC Achieved the Tariff Reduction
Insider sources revealed that the meeting, which commenced at 4 PM and lasted until 7 PM, saw the NLC firmly demanding a complete reversal of the tariff hike.
Following intense discussions, the Federal Government and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) eventually agreed to a 15% reduction, lowering the tariff increase from 50% to 35%.
NLC’s Earlier Protest Against the Tariff Hike
On February 12, 2025, the NLC strongly opposed the telecom tariff increase, stating that it breached a previous agreement between the Federal Government and the NCC.
The union called for an immediate reversal, warning of severe consequences if their demand was not met.
“If telecom companies do not return to the previous tariff by the end of February 2025, we will initiate a nationwide shutdown of their operations starting March 1, 2025,” the NLC warned.
To reinforce their stance, the NLC instructed Nigerian workers and citizens to boycott telecom services every day between 11 AM and 2 PM, starting from Thursday, February 13, 2025.
The boycott targeted leading network providers, including MTN, Airtel, and Glo, and was scheduled to continue until the end of February 2025.