‘Corporate Fat Cats!’ Nigerian Workers Fix Date for Nationwide Protest

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has set February 4, 2025, as the date for a nationwide demonstration against the recent 50% increase in telecommunications service charges.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the labour union condemned the decision, warning that the tariff adjustment would further impoverish Nigerians already struggling with economic hardship.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had, on January 20, 2025, granted telecom operators approval to implement the price hike, a move that has been met with widespread criticism from various quarters, including the NLC.

Sources within the ongoing National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting of the NLC disclosed that the protest is aimed at pressuring the government to reconsider the tariff increase.

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Labour leaders insist that the hike is unjustifiable given the current economic realities and its potential impact on workers and low-income earners.

Joe Ajaero, the NLC president, decried the approval, stating that it demonstrates an abandonment of the citizens in favor of corporate interests.

According to him, “this 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.”

Meanwhile, the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers has also vowed to take legal action against both the government and telecommunications companies over the hike, adding to the mounting opposition.

Despite the backlash, government officials have defended the price adjustment, attributing it to rising inflation, which reached 34.80% in December. However, the NLC insists that such justification does not align with the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.

As the February 4 protest looms, tension is mounting, with labour unions determined to push back against policies they say would only worsen the financial struggles of millions.