The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has called on workers and concerned citizens to boycott MTN, Airtel, and Glo services starting at 11:00 AM on Thursday, February 13, 2025, in protest against the recent hike in telecom tariffs.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and NLC Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja condemned the tariff increase, demanding that telecom companies immediately revert to previous rates while negotiations continue.
“The CWC demands an immediate reversal of the tariff hike, which took effect today, and insists that the companies revert to the previous tariff until the committee completes its deliberations and reaches a conclusive agreement,” the statement read.
As part of the protest, the NLC has instructed workers and other willing citizens to boycott telecom services from MTN, Airtel, and Glo daily between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM until the end of February 2025.
The labour union also criticized the government for failing to protect Nigerians from corporate exploitation, urging policymakers to take stronger action against arbitrary price increases in essential services.
Furthermore, the NLC reviewed the Tax Reform Bills, warning against policies that could impose an additional financial burden on Nigerian workers. While recognizing the need for tax reforms, the union vowed to advocate for fairer and more worker-friendly policies.
The NLC has issued a final ultimatum, stating that if the tariff hike is not reversed by February 29, 2025, it will escalate the protest by launching a nationwide telecom shutdown starting March 1, 2025. The union has called on civil society groups and all Nigerians to stand against what it describes as economic exploitation.
