NLC, TUC, Reject 50% TELECOMMS Tariff Hike

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union congress, TUC have condemned recent approval granted to telecommunications operators in the country by Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to effect a 50 percent increase in telecommunication tariffs.

Meanwhile the federal competition and consumer protection council FCCPC commended the 50% increase, saying the proposed 100 percent hike would have been disastrous,as it calls for improvement of services provided by the telecommunication operators.

The recent announcement of a 50 percent increase in telecoms tariff by the NCC has continued to spark widespread debate among industry stakeholders and consumers.

The hike, which raises call rate from N12 to N18 per minute and SMS charges from 4 to N6, also increases data costs from N300 to over N400 per gigabyte. While operators cite rising operational costs, inflation, and foreign exchange volatility as justification, critics argue that the burden of inefficiencies is being unfairly transferred to subscribers.

In a statement signed by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the Labour movement urged the federal government, the NCC and the National Assembly to stop the implementation of what it described, “as ill-advised” hike to allow a reasonable conversation around it.

It says the 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 NLC calls on all Nigerian workers and masses to reject this unjustifiable tariff hike.

It argues that For a worker earning the current minimum wage of N70,000, this means an increase from N7,000 to a staggering N10,500 per month or 15 percent of his salary—a cost that is unsustainable.

Also, the Deputy President of TUC, Tommy Okon, told ait.live that the planned increase is not only unhealthy but also failed to appreciate the ability of subscribers, especially workers, to pay.

He said the TUC does not understand the state of mind of the managers of the nation’s economy, noting It is unfortunate that managers of Nigeria’s economy have alienated themselves from the reality of Nigeria of today.

Meanwhile, the federal competition and consumer protection council, FCCPC said it was crucial that the approved 50 per cent adjustment in telecommunications tariffs “directly translate into demonstrable and tangible service enhancements for consumers.

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In a statement, FCCPC Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu said, the NCC’s approval of a 50 per cent adjustment, which was lower than the over 100 percent increase initially proposed by operators, demonstrated a thoughtful effort to balance industry sustainability with consumer protection.

He noted that the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU recently signed between the FCCPC and NCC highlighted a shared commitment to ensuring robust consumer protection, fair competition, and the eradication of exploitative practices in the telecommunications sector.

President of the Association of Telecommunications, Information Technology, Cable Satellite Network Operators and Allied Services Employers’ of Nigeria (ATICEN), Adede Williams is commending the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, for taking a proactive measures concerning tariff hike in Nigeria, insisting that it will further ensure the operational sustainability of the telecommunications operators in Nigeria.

Williams emphasised the role the telecommunications sector and the ICTs subsector plays in Nigeria’s economy through its contributions to foreign direct investment (FDI) and GDP growth.

He called for collaboration between subscribers and telecoms operators, to further drive development in the telecoms sector.

(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)