The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has decided to put on hold its planned nationwide protest against a proposed 50 percent increase in telecommunications charges.
The demonstration, which was scheduled to take place on Tuesday across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was suspended after a late-night meeting with government representatives on Monday.
Following discussions at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the NLC leadership opted to pause the protest to allow more dialogue on the issue.
The meeting resulted in an agreement to establish a broader committee to review the pricing structure of telecom services.
NLC President Joe Ajaero confirmed the decision, explaining that the new committee will have five representatives from both the government and the labour union. This group has been tasked with examining the current tariff framework and presenting its findings within two weeks.
“We emphasised that the NLC is the largest organisation in Africa, and no stakeholder consultation can exclude us and still stand. On that basis, they agreed to form a broader committee to ensure a fair and inclusive agreement to examine the entire tariff structure and develop a realistic and all-inclusive agreement.
“So, the committee will be made up of five representatives from both sides and is expected to present its findings after two weeks. That will determine the next line of action and the process of engagement. The symbolic action of submitting the letters tomorrow will be put on hold until the outcome of the committee’s work.
“The outcome of the committee’s work will determine our next line of action in terms of protest, boycott, and even withdrawal of services, which are the three issues we have put forward,” Ajaero said.
While the submission of protest letters has been put on hold for now, the labour leader stressed that other pressing economic concerns remain, such as rising electricity costs and increased taxation on workers. He pointed out that the union had already voiced its dissatisfaction with the high electricity tariffs and new tax policies, insisting that these issues must also be addressed.
A communique released after the meeting outlined the agreement to set up a 10-member committee, with equal representation from both sides, to resolve disputes over the telecom tariff increase.
The communique reads:
“Arising from the meeting convened by the Federal Government of Nigeria on the proposed 50 per cent hike in telecommunications tariffs in the country, which the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) strongly opposed, citing its potential negative impact on Nigerian workers and the economy, with a threat to proceed with a one-day nationwide mass protest, the following resolutions were reached: That there is a need for the parties to sit together in a technical group to resolve most of the contentious issues raised during the discussion; consequently, a 10-man joint committee was set up, comprising five (5) representatives each from the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).”
The committee has been given until February 17, 2025, to complete its work and submit a report.
