The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its planned protest against the 50% increase in telecommunication tariffs following a meeting with a Federal Government delegation led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, on Monday.

According to a statement signed by Seguin Imohiosen, Director of Information & Public Relations in the SGF’s office, the meeting aimed to maintain industrial harmony while safeguarding the interests of Nigerians.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who represented the Federal Government, stated that discussions focused on reviewing the study conducted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which led to the tariff hike.

After extensive deliberations, both parties agreed to establish a 10-member committee comprising five representatives from the Federal Government and five from the NLC. The committee will assess the NCC’s study and submit its findings within two weeks.

“So, the summary of it is that Labour and the Nigerian Labour Congress specifically and the delegation of the federal government have set up a committee of five each. We are going to meet here continuously for the next two weeks. And at the end of the second week, we will now come up with a recommendation that we will give to government and the organised Labour for final consideration,” Idris said.

NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, stated that the union would await the committee’s findings before determining its next course of action.

The meeting was attended by key officials, including Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijanni; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; NCC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida; Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, among others.

The NLC had initially declared a nationwide mass rally for Tuesday, February 4, 2025, to protest the NCC-approved telecom tariff hike. The union had argued that the increase was unjust, particularly for Nigerians earning a minimum wage of ₦70,000, who are already burdened by rising fuel costs, electricity tariffs, food prices, and inflation.