Nigeria Establishes Committee to Review Telecom Tariff Increase

Rahila Lassa, Abuja

Last updated Feb 4, 2025

The Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have constituted a 10-member committee to review the recent 50% increase in telecommunication tariffs.

The decision was reached following a stakeholder meeting to ensure industrial harmony and safeguard the interests of Nigerians.

Speaking on behalf of the federal government, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said that the meeting’s purpose was to investigate the study carried out by the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, which led to the increment.

He said the 10-man committee, comprising five members from the federal government and five from the NLC, is expected to review the study by the NCC and submit its report within two weeks.

“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 the government and the organised labour for final consideration,” he said.

The NLC president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said that the Congress will wait till the outcome of the Committee’s report to determine its next line of action.

“Our next line of action is in terms of protest, in terms of boycott, in terms of withdrawal of services, which are the three issues we put online.”

The President of the Labour Congress, however, expressed his displeasure over the recent hike in electricity tariffs.

“But I’ll equally use this opportunity of this meeting to put in our displeasure on the electricity tariff and the tax that’s killing the workers now. The tax regime, which is unbearable. These are actions that are still on course until they’ve been addressed,” he narrated.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, chaired the meeting.

Present at the meeting were the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijanni, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, among others.