NLC puts on hold planned protest over telecom tariff, signs MoU with FG

Nigeria’s labour congress NLC, has put on hold its planned nationwide protest against a 50 per cent hike in telecommunications tariffs and signed a memorandum of understanding with the federal government over the proposed 50 per cent hike in the telecommunications tariff. This was stated in an MoU signed on Monday at a meeting convened by the federal government and the NLC over the proposed hike in telecom tariff. The MoU was signed by George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation; Muhammadu Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment; Joe Ajaero, president of the NLC; and Emmanuel Ugboaja, general secretary of the NLC.
The NLC had opposed the proposed hike and had called for a one-day nationwide mass protest on February 4. According to the MoU, resolutions were reached for the parties to sit together in a technical group to resolve most of the thorny areas raised during the discussion. Parts of the resolution include setting up a joint committee with five representatives each from the government and the NLC. The committee is expected to conclude and submit its deliberations within two weeks.
The parties urged Nigerians to remain calm while the committee concluded its assignment. will negotiate with the government to resolve the dispute within two weeks, both sides said on Tuesday. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), representing millions of workers, had slated a Feb. 4 demonstration after rejecting the tariff increase approved last month by the telecoms regulator -the first such rise in over a decade. Operators have cited surging operational costs linked to inflation nearing 35% and a weakening Naira currency as reasons for the tariff rise. The union called the hike “insensitive” and threatened a telecoms service boycott or strike unless the government engaged in talks.
The tariff dispute underscores broader tensions over living costs in Africa’s most populous nation, where President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, including fuel subsidy cuts, power hikes and currency devaluations have worsened financial strain. Following talks late on Monday, the NLC and government agreed to form a 10-member committee with equal representation to review the hike and to propose solutions by Feb. 17. “The outcome of this committee will determine our next line of action in terms of protest, in terms of boycott, and in terms of even withdrawal of services,” NLC President Joe Ajaero told reporters. Both sides committed to a “stay action” halting further escalation pending the committee’s findings.