The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called off its planned protest against the 50% increase in telecommunication tariffs.
This decision came after a meeting with the Federal Government, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, on Monday.
The meeting focused on addressing concerns about the tariff hike and maintaining industrial peace.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, explained that the increase was based on a study by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
After discussions, both parties agreed to form a 10-member committee, with five representatives each from the government and the NLC.
The committee will review the study and present its findings within two weeks.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, stated that the union would wait for the committee’s report before deciding on further action.
The meeting had key government officials in attendance, including the Ministers of Communication, Finance, Labour, Budget, and National Planning, as well as the NCC Executive Vice Chairman and the National Security Adviser.
“So, the summary of it is that Labour and the Nigerian Labour Congress specifically and the delegation of the federal government have set up a committee of five each. We are going to meet here continuously for the next two weeks. And at the end of the second week, we will now come up with a recommendation that we will give to government and the organised Labour for final consideration” Director, Information & Public Relations in the office of the SGF, Seguin Imohiosen, said.
The NLC had earlier announced a nationwide protest scheduled for February 4, 2025, to oppose the tariff increase, citing the financial strain on citizens already burdened by rising costs of living.
