Nationwide Blackout! NLC Orders Nigerians To Boycott Calls, Texts, And Data Over Tariff Hike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on Nigerians to participate in a civil protest against telecom service providers for implementing tariff hikes without following due process.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

NLC’s spokesperson, Benson Upah, urged citizens to boycott calls, texts, and data purchases from 11 AM to 2 PM as a demonstration of resistance against the unjustified increase.

Speaking with Arise News on Thursday, Upah criticized telecom companies for disregarding the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) they signed regarding tariff regulation. He emphasized that only collective action from Nigerians could compel the providers to revert to previous rates.

“This is a moment for Nigerians to show their resolve. It is a civil action by the people, for the people. If we stand together and maintain a coordinated blackout from 11 AM to 2 PM, it will pressure these telecom giants to reconsider their actions. What they have done is a blatant betrayal of trust, a violation of negotiation principles, and an outright insult to the government and its institutions,” he stated.

MTN, Airtel, and Glo Violated MoU

Upah revealed that the agreement between labour and the government mandated the formation of a 10-man technical committee to deliberate on the issue within two weeks before any changes could be made. However, the telecom operators ignored this process.

“Ten days ago, in a meeting with the government, it was agreed that a technical committee would be set up to analyze the situation and submit a report within two weeks. That committee has not even met, yet MTN, Airtel, and Glo proceeded with their tariff hike. This is a direct insult to Nigerians’ collective dignity and independence,” he asserted.

Telecom Companies Exploiting Nigerians

Upah further argued that telecom companies are taking advantage of Nigerians, stating that such disregard for due process would not be tolerated in other countries. He called for national solidarity to push back against exploitation, stressing that a united front was the only way to force compliance.