Telecom Tariff Hike: TUC Threatens Strike If FG Does Not Take Action
- The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has threatened to down tools if the Federal government does not take action
- They want the Nigerian Communications Commission to rescind its approval for a 50% tariff hike
- Meanwhile, comments from telecom operators suggest that the 50% tariff hike may not make the desired impact on their operations
Legit.ng journalist Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.
The Trade Union Congress has threatened to start a strike action if the federal government does not intervene in the proposed telecom tariff increase.
The Union went further to list the issues the federal government must address to ease business for the telecom operators without increasing tariffs.
They described the 50% tariff hike as ill-timed, and another act to deliberately suppress poor Nigerians already grappling with a cost of living crisis.
Source: Facebook
Comrade Festus Osifo, the TUC National President stated this as a guest on the Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.
NCC Approves Telecom Tariff Hike
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in January 2025, approved a tariff hike of not more than 50% for telecom operators in Nigeria.
This approval came on the backdrop of complaints about the increasing cost of operations amid a rise in electricity and fuel costs.
The telecom operators noted that they were running at a loss due to these costs, and could no longer sustain operations without raising tariffs.
TUC insists FG must act now
Osifo recounted that the TUC National Administrative Council (NAC) met earlier in the day and had resolved to hit the streets to protest the increase.
He added that there will be subsequent meetings with the NEC and the CWC before a date will be agreed on.
The Union president urged the Federal government to address the FX volatility problems, which have been identified as a critical problem causing a rise in operations costs for telecom operators.
Osifo asked;
“If you know what the root cause of the problem is, why would you start looking at the symptoms? All we are asking is that let us sit down, let us look at how we can go back to that root cause because we strongly believe that if that root cause is addressed, there is no need for these symptoms to prop up.”
He added that rather than looking for a cheap way out by approving tariff increases, the government should work towards providing economic stability and lower business costs of operations.
Recall that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) threatened a nationwide protest on February 4th and subsequent strike.
This move was suspended and NLC entered negotiations with representatives of the Federal Government. Five members of the NLC are to work with five representatives of the government and submit a report on the way forward.
Telecom Tariff Hike, Subscribers propose 10%
In related news, the National Association of Telecommunications Consumers of Nigeria (NATCOMS) has urged the federal government to lower the 50% telecom tariff increase to a maximum of 10% in the interest of low-income earners.
The association said the move will affect students, businesses, and workers nationwide, as more people move towards a digital economy.
NATCOMS noted that by approving the increase, NCC deviated from its primary responsibility of protecting Nigerian telecom consumers.
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Source: Legit.ng
