NCSCN suspends planned protest on 50% telecom tariff hike

The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has called off its planned protest on 50 per cent hike on telecom tariffs.

Mr Blessing Akinlosotu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NCSCN disclosed this during a press conference organised by the council on Monday in Abuja.

He said NCSCN needed to embark on consultations and sensitisation on facts and figures, considering the economic realities on ground.

He explained that the council had earlier called for an emergency meeting of Telecom Service Providers after it heard the shocking news of approval for increment by the Federal Government to an upper limit of 50 per cent.

“Then the council reached a resolution that all our 620 affiliates should hold a World Press Conference last Friday to strongly condemn the decision of the Government.

“We further planned to commence a Peaceful Protest to occupy the Headquarters of the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) and the National Assembly, until the decision is presently reversed.

“In line with the standing tradition of the council, letters of Pre-Action Notice were written to relevant quarters, including the NCC,” he said .

He said that when NCC received the council’s letter, it exhibited a very high sense of responsibility by reaching out to the council in less than 24 hours.

According to him, the council set up an 11-man team for a robust engagement with the NCC’s management, which was held on Jan. 30.

Akinlosotu said that at the end of the meeting, many revelations emerged which made NCSCN to be better informed in taking action on going forward.

“This also led the council to set up a 5-Man Technical Committee to carefully study documents presented to us.

“The council mandated the committee to do clinical and forensic examination of available records of operational costs and annual profits margins of some major Telecom Service Providers in Nigeria, with critical assessments of Financial Statements.

“Let us accept the painful and bitter realities being faced in the operational cost by service providers and allow for this understandable tariff adjustment, commencing today Monday, January 3, 2025.

“We equally appeal to the Nigerian Labour Congress to review the matter to prevent systematic collapse of Telecom Services in Nigeria.

“Seeing that most businesses are already folding up and leaving the country due to high production costs, we appeal to Nigerians to keep faith with the NCC leadership,” he said.