Nigerian labor representatives have proclaimed a date of February 4, 2025, for the initiation of a nationwide demonstration in opposition to a 50 percent increase in telecommunications service tariffs within the nation.
The Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, disclosed this information in a formal statement issued on Wednesday.
This announcement follows the decision made by the Nigerian Communications Commission on January 20, 2025, to authorize telecommunications companies to implement a 50 percent increase in service tariffs.
The sanctioning of this increase has elicited a considerable degree of disapproval from the Nigerian populace, including the NLC.
In a strategic update to reinforce their dissent against the telecommunications tariff escalation, the NLC has pledged to undertake a nationwide demonstration aimed at paralyzing the nation.
This initiative constitutes a segment of their mobilization efforts opposing the proposed 50 percent increase in telecommunications tariffs.
TALKING ARENA has reported that the decision to conduct the nationwide demonstration was reached during the ongoing National Administrative Council, NAC, meeting of the labor union.
The objective of the protest is to issue a cautionary message to the government, indicating that the workforce will resist the intended tariff increase, as it threatens to exacerbate the prevailing poverty levels throughout the nation.
It is noteworthy that the NLC had previously, on January 22, rejected the 50 percent increase in telecommunications tariffs ratified by the Federal Government via the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.
The NLC asserted that the approval of the 50 percent tariff increase, at a juncture when Nigerian workers and the general populace are enduring unprecedented economic difficulties, constitutes a blatant affront to their welfare and signifies a neglect of the citizenry in favor of corporate elites.
“This decision, coming at a time when Nigerian workers and the masses are grappling with unprecedented economic hardship, is a clear assault on their welfare and an abandonment of the people to corporate fat cats,” the statement by NLC president, Joe Ajaero partly reads.
