The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared a nationwide protest scheduled for Tuesday, February 4, 2025, in opposition to the recent 50% increase in telecommunications tariffs approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The decision was reached after an emergency meeting of the NLC’s National Administrative Council (NAC) in Abuja, where the union described the hike as “insensitive and unjustifiable.”
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, criticised the move, calling it a “direct assault on Nigerian workers” who are already grappling with inflation, high food prices, rising electricity tariffs, and the lingering effects of fuel subsidy removal. He questioned the justification for the tariff increase when many Nigerians are struggling to survive on the current ₦70,000 minimum wage.
The union had earlier demanded an immediate suspension of the tariff hike, but with no response from the government, it has now resolved to mobilise workers and the general public for mass action. The protest is expected to take place across major cities in Nigeria, as the NLC intensifies pressure on the authorities to reverse the decision.