*The House of Representatives鈥� Committee on Communications and Nigerian Communications Commission interface with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress to stop their planned nationwide rally slated for Tuesday, February 4, 2025, over the newly-approved 50 percent hike in telecoms tariffs in the country

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

The House of Representatives鈥� Committee on Communications, in the National Assembly (NASS), Abuja, FCT, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are apparently interfacing with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), to halt their planned nationwide rally slated for Tuesday, February 4, 2025, over the approved 50 percent hike in telecoms tariffs.

The NLC has called on its affiliates and the civil society groups to embark on a nationwide protest, while urging the Federal Government and the NASS ensure that the telecoms companies yet maintain their existing telecoms tariffs in the interim.

Telecoms consumers

The workers鈥欌�� union hinted that the rally would serve as a warning on the dangers of imposing such 鈥渁n unfair increase on a struggling population earning a minimum wage of only N70,000; a population that has suffered an outrageous hike in the price of petrol, high cost of food, hike in electricity tariff, among sundry hardship in the past few years.鈥�

50 Percent tariff hike about industry reforms, sustainability, says Muoka

Earlier, the NCC, January 2025, had approved a 50 percent tariff increase for the Mobile Telecoms Operators (MNOs), citing prevailing operational costs in the sector of the Nigerian economy.

Announcing the development, Mr. Reuben Muoka, Director of Public Affairs at NCC, had stated that the price adjustment, though lower than the 鈥渙ver 100% requested by some network operators, was arrived at taking into account ongoing industry reforms that will positively influence sustainability.鈥�

The telecoms sector regulatory Commission also explained that its approval of the MNOs鈥� proposal was pursuant to its power under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 (NCA) to regulate and approve tariff rates and charges by telecommunications operators.

Muoka stated: “These adjustments will remain within the tariff bands stipulated in the 2013 NCC Cost Study, and requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis as is the Commission鈥檚 standard practice for tariff.

“It be implemented in strict adherence to the recently issued NCC Guidance on Tariff Simplification, 2024.”

However, shortly after the NCC鈥檚 disclosure of the approved 50 percent tariff adjustment for the network providers, the leadership of NLC, January 22, condemned the tariff hike approval in a statement.

Labour expresses concern about 鈥榯iming鈥� of telecoms tariff increments

Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of NLC, in the statement, described the rate of tariff adjustment as an unjust burden on the Nigerian telecoms consumers who are still grappling with economic challenges.

The Labour leader as well expressed concern over the 鈥渢iming鈥� of the hike, noting that it coincides with rising inflation and declining purchasing power in the economy.

He noted: 鈥淭his 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.

鈥淭elecommunications services are essential for daily communication, work, and access to information.鈥�

Nigerian worker already spends approximately 10 percent of his/her wages on telecoms charges, he further argued.

House Committee: We鈥檙e engaging NLC to shelve planned mass protest

Speaking on the NLC鈥檚 scheduled nationwide protest over the approved telecoms tariff increments, Hon. Peter Akpatason, Chairman of House Committee on Communications, stated that panel is already reaching out to the leadership of the Labour Union to shelve the mass rally.

Akpatason, who represents Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency, in Edo State, said that the planned protest, if allowed to hold, would only bring about more hardship for Nigerian consumers.

The Federal lawmaker reportedly said: 鈥淭he committee that I chair is already reaching out to the leadership of Labour and the industry operators, to avert any action that would rather bring more hardship to the people.

鈥淲e had earlier met with the industry operators, who explained the numerous challenges bedeviling the sector, such as inadequate funding for infrastructure upgrades to address the consumers鈥� complaints about declining quality of services and poor coverage.

鈥淚 will advise that we look at the issues objectively before embarking on any protests.鈥�

Likewise, the NCC Director of Public Affairs noted that the telecoms regulator is intensifying effort at engaging the NLC over the uproar generated by the approved 50 percent telecoms tariff increments in the country鈥檚 digital ecosystem.

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