NLC Urges Consumers to Reject Telecoms’ Price Hike

The Nigerian Labour Congress has urged telecommunications consumers to “reject” the Federal Government’s planned 50% pricing hike.

NLC issued a message on its X account saying, “Reject This Tariff.”

The Federal Government authorized a 50% increase after operators originally demanded a 100% increase.

The raise, the first in over a decade, is intended to revitalize Nigeria’s faltering telecom sector, which accounts for approximately 14% of the country’s economy.

Responding to the development, the NLC termed the increase as a hardship on Nigerians.

It stated that calls now cost N16.50 per minute, up from N11 per minute. SMS rates now cost N6 each message, up from N4 previously. N431.25 per IGB data bundle, up from N287.50.

“50% telecom tariff hike: Another burden too harsh on Nigerians.”
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, had earlier this week criticized the FG’s approval of N8 billion for raising awareness among Nigerians about the need of paying energy bills.

He replied, ”

Nigeria’s power system is on the verge of collapse because its leaders have repeatedly demonstrated extreme incompetence. It is a sector in which the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, despite the enormous power invested in it by the Electricity Act of 2023, has consistently demonstrated incapacity to regulate or has outright refused to discharge its responsibilities to Nigerian electricity consumers, while the Minister in charge is obsessed with raising approximately N8 billion to teach Nigerians how to pay their electricity bills.

“It is therefore not surprising that power grid collapse is now a constant as it has continued to succumb to greed and crass incompetence.”

He also demanded the resignation of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and other Ministry of Power officials due to the national power grid’s regular failures.

Ajaero stated, “If the Ministry of Power is staffed by competent authorities, the now-embarrassing constant grid failure might have been avoided rather than the Minister’s frightening assertion that this will continue as if it is the usual.

“We believe that this is a blatant acknowledgment of incapacity and failure by the Ministry, and we wonder why they would not do the honorable thing and quit.

“It should be emphasized that the number of times the National Grid has fallen under these helmsmen exceeds the total number of prior presidents in our country’s history. Nigerians expect more seriousness in handling their affairs, not garrulous statements.

In another action, Ajaero chastised Adelabu over electricity bands and migration plans.

The labour leader questioned why certain people should be in Band A while others are in lesser bands, claiming that the approach is unfair.