The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called off its planned nationwide protest against the recent 50% hike in telecommunication tariffs after reaching an agreement with the Federal Government during a high-level meeting on Monday.
The meeting, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, was aimed at addressing the concerns raised by Nigerians over the tariff increase while maintaining industrial peace.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, explained that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had conducted a study that led to the decision to raise telecom tariffs. However, following intense deliberations, both parties agreed to set up a 10-man committee—comprising five representatives each from the Federal Government and the NLC—to review the NCC’s findings and propose solutions within two weeks.
“Labour and the Federal Government have set up a committee of five members each. We will meet continuously over the next two weeks, after which we will present our recommendations for final consideration,” Idris said.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, assured that the union would wait for the committee’s report before deciding on its next course of action.
Watch the video below;
The meeting was attended by key government officials, including the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijanni; Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; NCC CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida; Minister of Labour, Alhaji Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, among others.
Last week, the NLC had mobilized for a nationwide protest set for February 4, 2025, arguing that the tariff hike would worsen the economic burden on Nigerians who are already grappling with inflation, high fuel prices, and increased electricity tariffs—all while earning a minimum wage of just ₦70,000.
With the committee now in place, Nigerians will be watching closely to see if their concerns will be addressed in the coming weeks.
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