Telecom operators in Nigeria have issued a strong warning to the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), urging the union to reconsider its planned nationwide protest on February 4, which they say could deliver a devastating blow to an already struggling telecom sector.
Speaking at a town hall meeting held in Victoria Island on Saturday, Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators in Nigeria (ALTON), expressed concern over the impact of the protest on the industry. He likened the telecom sector to a critically ill patient and stressed that any additional strain could result in irreparable damage.
Adebayo said the telecom industry is already grappling with severe challenges and that the proposed protest could aggravate the situation.
“The coming week will be crucial, but I trust that ongoing discussions at various levels will prevent an outcome we do not expect or desire,” he said.
“While I cannot say everything, I am aware that efforts are being made to ensure stability. That said, I sincerely hope no group will push the telecom sector to collapse. I hope Labour does not become the undertaker of the industry. If that happens, the consequences are clear; we will start heading downward, and once we do, recovery may become impossible.”
Adebayo outlined the sector’s plight, noting that telecom operators had initially requested a 100% increase in tariffs to mitigate operational costs but agreed to the government’s 50% compromise as a lifeline. However, the NLC’s planned action could derail these efforts.
“Let me illustrate this with a simple analogy: Remember COVID-19? When patients needed oxygen, they were given full tanks to survive. Now, imagine the telecom sector as a patient requiring 100 liters of oxygen. The government initially suggested 50 liters — just enough to sustain life and reassess later. But now, there is talk of reducing it further to just 10 liters. If a person who needs 100 liters is only given 10, we all know the inevitable outcome,” he explained.
“The proposed 50 liters is already a lifeline, allowing us to survive, recover, and contribute to employment and economic growth. Anything lower would be catastrophic — like a critically ill patient being denied the oxygen necessary to live beyond the next day.”
Adebayo urged the NLC and other stakeholders to prioritize the survival of the telecom sector, emphasizing its critical role in Nigeria’s economy and employment landscape.
“Discussions like these take different shapes, but we must remember, 30 years ago, we were in a similar situation, and we cannot afford to go back. The priority must be survival — for the sector and the broader economy,” he said.
He appealed to all parties to work together to ensure that the sector does not reach a point where recovery becomes impossible.
