The Federal Government has agreed to lower the recent increase in telecommunications tariffs, reducing the hike from 50 percent to 35 percent after facing pressure from organized labour and the public.
The decision was reached after a meeting between government officials and representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
The meeting, which took place at the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) on Friday, was part of efforts to address the growing concerns over the high cost of telecom services.
Sources indicate that an official announcement regarding the tariff reduction will soon be made by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The development follows weeks of backlash from labour unions and consumers, who criticized the tariff increase as unfair and burdensome.
The NLC had strongly opposed the hike, rejecting it outright on February 12, despite an earlier agreement between the government and telecom regulators. The union warned that the tariff increase would negatively impact Nigerians, especially low-income earners who rely on mobile communication for business and daily activities.
In response to the hike, the NLC issued a firm ultimatum, demanding that telecom operators revert to the old tariff by the end of February 2025. The union threatened to shut down telecom operations nationwide starting March 1, 2025, if their demands were not met.
