The Nigeria Labour Congress has accused the Federal Government of putting revenue generation over citizen wellbeing by approving the recent 50% rise in telecommunications charges.
The Nigerian Communications Commission announced a pricing increase on Monday, which will see MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile charge extra for calls and messages.
The move, the first in 11 years and justified by the necessity for telcos to cover inflation and the high cost of operations by more than 300 percent, has prompted fury among citizens, with the NLC in particular calling for a demonstration.
Speaking on Arise TV on Friday, Labour Union president Joseph Ajaero chastised the government for partnering with telecom firms while Nigerians face growing living costs.
Ajaero, who oversees a workforce earning less than $50 per month as the minimum wage, expressed worry that the government is ignoring its regulatory responsibilities and treating private telecom businesses as if they are public entities.
“These corporations would be smiling all the way to the bank as Nigerians continue to suffer from poverty. That is the challenge we are currently facing. We hear the minister speak as if they are government-owned enterprises.
“When you raise tariffs by 50%, it is viewed as a strategy to generate government revenue, in addition to whatever taxes that may be collected. This strategy has been used in the power sector as well.
He cautioned that the tariff rise will disproportionately harm low-income earners, many of whom already struggle to meet basic living expenditures.
“Government officials frequently argue that increasing tariffs are beneficial, yet this merely pushes people farther into poverty. This is where we disagree. The government has failed to function as an effective regulator in striking a balance between corporate interests and the wellbeing of citizens.
“The administration should establish a balance. For someone earning N70,000, paying more than N10,000 for the tariff hike alone is considerable. How will they afford transportation, housing, and other necessities? It’s unrealistic since there is no home that costs N10,000, and transportation prices are also exorbitant,” Ajaero remarked.
The NLC president also criticized the government’s reliance on imported telecom and electricity equipment, claiming that local production of critical components such as cables and meters might save money.
The NLC president encouraged the government to promote domestic production rather than shifting the cost of importation to consumers.
