The House of Representatives’ Committee on Communications has engaged with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to prevent a planned nationwide protest scheduled for February 4, 2025, in response to a 50 percent increase in telecom tariffs.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently approved the tariff hike, citing rising operational costs for telecommunication companies. This decision has sparked strong opposition from the NLC, which has threatened to stage a nationwide protest unless the Federal Government and the National Assembly intervene to revert to the previous tariff rates temporarily.
The NLC has expressed concern that the tariff increase would place further strain on a population already grappling with rising costs of living, including higher fuel prices, soaring food costs, and electricity tariff hikes. The union argues that imposing such an increase on citizens, many of whom earn only N70,000 per month, would be unjust and harmful.
Peter Akpatason, Chairman of the House Committee on Communications, emphasised the committee’s efforts to resolve the issue before any protest takes place. Speaking to the press, Akpatason, who represents Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency in Edo State, stated that the committee is in discussions with both the NLC and industry operators to find a solution that would prevent further hardship for Nigerians.
“We are reaching out to the labour leadership and telecom operators to prevent any action that would exacerbate the suffering of the people,” Akpatason said. “We’ve already met with industry representatives, who have outlined the challenges they face, such as insufficient funding for infrastructure upgrades and complaints regarding declining service quality and coverage.”
Reuben Mouka, Director of Public Affairs at the NCC, also confirmed that the commission is working to engage with the NLC and address concerns about the new telecom tariffs.
