The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly condemned the 50% tariff increase by telecommunications companies, demanding an immediate return to the previous rates.
Despite the formation of a 10-man committee by the NLC and the Federal Government to review the tariff hike, telecom firms proceeded with the increase before the committee concluded its work.
In response, the NLC issued a firm warning, setting a deadline of March 1 for a complete shutdown of telecom operations nationwide if the hike is not reversed.
In the meantime, the union has called on Nigerian workers and citizens to boycott MTN, Airtel, and Glo services daily from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, starting February 13 until the end of the month.
NLC President Joe Ajaero and General Secretary Emma Ugboaja, in a communique released after a meeting in Lokoja, accused telecom companies of betraying public trust and bypassing due process.
The Congress also criticized the government for failing to protect Nigerians from corporate exploitation, insisting that funds allegedly siphoned abroad by telecom firms should be repatriated.
Additionally, the NLC urged its state councils and affiliate unions to begin immediate mobilization and sensitization efforts nationwide.
The union also addressed ongoing discussions on the government’s Tax Reform Bills, emphasizing that any fiscal policy must ease financial burdens on Nigerian workers rather than intensify economic hardships
