The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for a nationwide boycott of mobile telecom services starting Thursday, February 13, 2025, in protest of the 50% tariff increase approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This decision follows a meeting of the NLC’s Central Working Committee (CWC) in Kogi State.
MTN has already implemented the 50% tariff increase on its data plans, while Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile, have increased text message rates from N4.00 to N6.00.
The NLC lambasted MTN and other TELCOs for implementing the hike despite an agreement with the Federal Government. It also lampooned the Federal Government for shirking its responsibility to regulate them.
They announced a daily boycott of MTN, Airtel, and Glo services from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM until the end of February 2025.
Additionally, the NLC has urged workers to suspend data purchases from these operators, calling the hike a form of exploitation. The Union also condemned the telecom companies for violating trust and accused the government of failing to regulate the sector properly.
The NLC is demanding the reversal of the tariff increase, insisting telecom operators revert to the old rates until further discussions are held. If the increase isn’t reversed by the end of February, the NLC threatens a nationwide telecom shutdown starting March 1, 2025.
All NLC State Councils are to mobilize members for the boycott, and Affiliate Unions are asked to observe “electronic silence” during the designated hours.
