Tariff hike: NLC asks subscribers to arrange for telecoms boycott

The Nigeria Labour Congress has known as on Nigerians to arrange for a nationwide boycott of telecommunication companies in response to the Federal Authorities’s current approval of a 50 per cent enhance in telecommunication tariffs.

Nevertheless, telecommunication corporations insisted that the tariff hike is crucial for the long-term sustainability of the sector and the advance of companies for subscribers.

This got here because the Federal Competitors and Shopper Safety Fee charged the telcos to prioritise service enhancements following the approval to hike telecommunication tariffs.

The NLC in a press release on Wednesday described the increment as a grave injustice to residents already burdened by financial hardship.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, expressed deep concern over the timing of the hike, which in line with him coincides with rising inflation and declining buying energy.

He mentioned telecommunication companies have turn into a primary necessity, with the common Nigerian employee spending roughly 10 per cent of their revenue on telecom fees.

He mentioned, “The Nigeria Labour Congress expresses its unequivocal condemnation of the Federal Authorities’s current approval, via the Nigerian Communications Fee of a 50 per cent enhance in telecommunication tariffs. This choice, coming at a time when Nigerian staff and the lots are grappling with unprecedented financial hardship, is a transparent assault on their welfare and an abandonment of the folks to company fats cats.

“Telecommunication companies are important for day by day communication, work, and entry to info. But, a mean Nigerian employee already spends roughly 10 per cent of their wages on telecom fees. For a employee incomes the present minimal wage of N70,000, this implies a rise from N7,000 to a staggering N10,500 per thirty days or 15 per cent of his wage – an unsustainable price.”

The NLC president criticised the federal government for fast-tracking the tariff approval inside a month whereas taking almost a 12 months to implement the lately revised minimal wage.

He additionally argued that this disparity underscores the federal government’s bias in the direction of company pursuits over the welfare of its residents.

Ajaero mentioned, “This hike exemplifies the federal government’s obvious ease in prioritising company earnings over residents’ welfare. It’s surprising that the federal government authorised this 50 per cent tariff enhance for telecom corporations inside a month, but took almost a 12 months to approve the current minimal wage for staff, regardless of the rising price of dwelling and inflation eroding buying energy.

“This obvious disparity underscores a troubling actuality: the federal government seems extra aligned with the pursuits of rich companies than with the wants of the employees and residents it’s meant to serve.

“We should ask: When will the federal government stand for the folks it swore to guard? When will the Nationwide Meeting rise to its accountability and maintain the manager accountable for insurance policies that blatantly undermine the welfare of the bulk? When will the frequent man heave a sigh of reduction in Nigeria?”

The NLC president, nonetheless, urged Nigerians to reject the tariff hike and put together for collective motion, together with the potential of a mass boycott of telecommunication companies, to compel a reversal of the rise.

“NLC just isn’t against a tariff assessment however disagrees with the authorised charge of enhance. We due to this fact name on the federal government, the NCC, and the Nationwide Meeting to cease the implementation of this ill-advised hike to permit an affordable dialog round it. If the dialogue agrees on the necessity for the hike, then, we will all search a extra humane enhance and positively not this 50 per cent hike.

“The NLC calls on all Nigerian staff and much to reject this unjustifiable tariff hike. We urge residents to arrange for collective motion, together with the potential of a nationwide boycott of telecommunication companies, to compel the reversal of this punitive enhance.

“That is for our dignity, our rights, and our survival as a folks. The Nigeria Labour Congress stays resolute in defending the pursuits of Nigerian staff and the lots. We is not going to permit the folks to bear the brunt of insurance policies that additional entrench poverty and inequality. Collectively, we’ll do our greatest to withstand this injustice and demand that the federal government prioritizes the pursuits of its residents over company pursuits,” the union acknowledged.

Telcos unfazed

Because the announcement of the 50 per cent telecom tariff hike, each the Nigerian Communications Fee and Cellular Community Operators have been beneath intense scrutiny, with the newest opposition coming from the NLC.

Regardless of the backlash, telcos stay unfazed and have maintained that the tariff hike is crucial for the long-term sustainability of the sector and the advance of companies for subscribers.

The Affiliation of Telecommunications Firms of Nigeria insisted that the implementation of the authorised tariff hike, which is predicted to kick off in February, will proceed as scheduled.

“Whether or not it’s as we speak, tomorrow, or within the close to future, the tariff implementation is ready to proceed. The important thing query now’s the worth that the value adjustment will carry to subscribers,” the Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayor, advised The PidomNigeria.

Adebayor defined that many techniques throughout the telecom sector are outdated and gear requires optimisation. “We’re actively engaged on enhancing the cost-mile expertise considerably,” he mentioned.

“Our objective is long-term sustainability—no telecom operator needs to offer poor service high quality. Each minute of uptime contributes to income, and it’s essential that we present tangible enhancements in person expertise and ship one thing higher to subscribers.”

Service enchancment

In the meantime, the Federal Competitors and Shopper Safety Fee acknowledged the monetary pressures confronted by telecom operators; nonetheless, it urged them to prioritise service enhancements.

“We unequivocally state that client pursuits stay paramount,” the buyer watchdog mentioned, stressing that any enhance in telecom tariffs should result in tangible enhancements within the high quality of service.

The fee welcomed a brand new NCC directive requiring telecom operators to make sure that tariffs are extra clear.

It mentioned operators should now disclose all vital particulars of their plans upfront, together with prices, validity durations, and advantages. It famous {that a} necessary disclosure desk may also be launched to assist customers make knowledgeable selections and keep away from surprising fees.

“Customers ought to not have to fret about hidden fees or surprising prices,” the FCCPC emphasised.

The fee acknowledged ongoing client dissatisfaction with poor service high quality, similar to community congestion, dropped calls, inconsistent web speeds, and insufficient customer support. It famous that buyers had persistently known as for enhancements in these areas earlier than any tariff enhance.

“It’s essential that tariff changes straight translate into demonstrable and tangible service enhancements,” the FCCPC mentioned.

The FCCPC referred to the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the NCC, which reaffirms their joint dedication to client safety, truthful competitors, and the elimination of exploitative practices within the telecom sector.

The MoU ensures that any regulatory or pricing changes made by telecom operators are balanced with the pursuits of customers.

“Operators should prioritise seen and measurable enhancements in community reliability, velocity, accessibility, and customer support as a part of any tariff adjustment,” the FCCPC acknowledged.

The fee additionally known as on telecom operators to allocate the extra income generated from the tariff enhance in the direction of infrastructure growth and enhanced service supply. It emphasised the necessity for clear mechanisms to watch the right utilisation of those funds for the good thing about customers.

“Operators should clearly talk the rationale for the tariff changes to customers, making certain they’re absolutely knowledgeable about how these modifications align with efforts to enhance service supply and infrastructure,” it added.