The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS), a body representing telecom users in Nigeria, has called for sanctions against telecommunications operators for allegedly undermining the agreement between organized labour and the federal government. This comes as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) announced a nationwide boycott of telecom services starting March 1.
While NATCOMS has distanced itself from the boycott, it has strongly criticized telecom operators for disregarding the terms of the agreement between the NLC and the federal government. The association has urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to impose sanctions on operators for proceeding with tariff increases without regulatory approval, arguing that their actions undermine the review process and disregard consumer concerns.
Deolu Ogunbanjo, President of NATCOMS, expressed dissatisfaction with the operators’ decision to implement the hikes prematurely. “The telcos didn’t wait for the two-week period or the end of the month. So, why did the telcos proceed with the tariff increase without considering the agreement made with the NLC?” he questioned.
Ogunbanjo further stated that NATCOMS is advocating for a more measured increase of 10% instead of the 50% hike implemented by telecom providers. He emphasized that his group is awaiting the outcome of an ongoing review panel before considering legal action. “During an emergency meeting last Friday, we suggested that rather than going straight to court, we could first consider the outcome of the protest and the panel being set up by the NLC,” he explained.
Proposing alternatives to the immediate tariff hike, Ogunbanjo suggested that a phased increase could have been a more practical approach. “We proposed a 10% increase as an alternative or even a 30% increase in phases. Just like the fuel price hike, which was phased from N200 to N600, such a phased increase could have been negotiated,” he said.
Meanwhile, the NLC has called for a nationwide boycott of telecom services. In a communiqué signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, and General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, following a Central Working Committee meeting in Lokoja, the union accused telecom companies of breaching public trust and implementing the tariff hike before the 10-man review panel had completed its deliberations.
The NLC also criticized the government for failing to protect citizens from corporate exploitation. As part of its initial response, the NLC urged Nigerian workers and the general public to boycott the services of MTN, Airtel, and Glo daily from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, starting February 13 and continuing through February 2025.
The union further demanded the repatriation of all funds allegedly siphoned abroad by telecom firms and gave operators until the end of February 2025 to reverse the tariff increase. If they fail to comply, the NLC warned of a nationwide shutdown of telecom services beginning March 1, 2025.
Additionally, the NLC has instructed its state councils to immediately begin sensitizing and mobilizing their members and the general public. It also called on its affiliate unions to encourage members nationwide to observe “electronic silence” during the designated protest hours.
