*Announces July for commencement of new minimum wage negotiations
*Threatens to direct workers to stay home over killings, kidnappings nationwide
*Adds Nigeria one of world\u2019s most dangerous places<\/p>\n
By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Johnbosco Agbakwuru<\/p>\n
ABUJA \u2014 In a sweeping, fiery, and deeply critical address that touched virtually every sector of national life, Nigeria\u2019s organised labour on Thursday declared that the country is drifting toward a dangerous tipping point, warning of a collapsing social contract, a failing economy, and a worsening security crisis that could force workers off their jobs nationwide.<\/p>\n
At the 2026 May Day celebration held at Eagle Square, Abuja, leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, delivered a joint speech that combined stark economic analysis, political warnings, and an unmistakable threat of mass action if conditions do not improve.<\/p>\n
They described Nigeria as a nation where \u201cpoverty tightens its grip daily,\u201d institutions are weakening, and citizens are increasingly left to fend for themselves in the face of violence and economic hardship.<\/p>\n
Workers create wealth, live in poverty<\/p>\n
Setting the tone early, labour leaders reminded the nation of the central role workers play in sustaining the economy, contrasting it sharply with their current condition.<\/p>\n
They said: \u201cWorkers remain at the very heart of every industry, every economy, and every success story known to humanity. Without workers, no wheel can turn; without workers, no nation can be built.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yet, they lamented, those same workers \u201ccreate immense wealth yet receive only a fraction of it,\u201d enduring exploitation while \u201cpoverty tightens its grip around them.\u201d<\/p>\n
They described Nigerian workers as people who \u201crise before dawn and return home at dusk, exhausted yet unbroken,\u201d but increasingly unable to meet basic needs despite their efforts.<\/p>\n
Growth without relief, reform without impact<\/p>\n
Labour took direct aim at the government\u2019s economic narrative, arguing that macroeconomic indicators have become disconnected from reality.<\/p>\n
According to them; \u201cWe are told that GDP growth may reach about 3.6%\u2026 yet poverty continues to rise. We hear official inflation figures\u2026 but these numbers do not reflect the reality experienced daily by workers.\u201d<\/p>\n
NLC and TUC argued that Nigeria\u2019s economic model has produced a distorted outcome, saying \u201cPaper growth without jobs, stability without prosperity, and reform without relief.\u201d<\/p>\n
They insisted that the benefits of economic policies are being captured by a narrow elite, noting that \u201cAn economy that serves only the top 1% while leaving the 99% behind cannot be sustainable. Perhaps, it is working for the ultra-few 1% and not the 99% majority.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nation sliding deeper into poverty<\/p>\n
Labour painted a bleak picture of living conditions across the country, citing data that shows poverty now affects about 65% of Nigerians \u2014 roughly 150 million people.<\/p>\n
\u201cApproximately 10,000 people are pushed into poverty every day,\u201d they said, warning that deprivation has reached \u201calarming levels.\u201d<\/p>\n
They described overcrowded cities strained by rural displacement, rising food insecurity, and the re-emergence of diseases linked to extreme poverty in internally displaced persons camps.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn these camps and communities, diseases such as Kwashiorkor, Craw-craw, and Marasmus are re-emerging,\u201d they noted, calling it \u201ca grim picture of a nation under severe strain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Minimum Wage: Labour draws the line<\/p>\n
Against this backdrop, labour announced that negotiations for a new national minimum wage will begin in July 2026.
\u201cWe will commence the process early to avoid the painful delays of the past,\u201d they said.
But beyond future negotiations, the unions demanded immediate intervention:
\u201cWe demand that from July of this year, every worker be paid 100% of his basic salary\u2026 to cushion the effects of the renewed crisis of survival. We demand a living wage, not a minimum wage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nigeria is s at War<\/p>\n
On insecurity, labour delivered perhaps its most alarming assessment, declaring that Nigeria is effectively in a state of war.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe scale of violence, the frequency of attacks, and the mounting loss of lives\u2026 place Nigeria among the most dangerous places to live on earth,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
Rejecting the characterization of attacks as isolated incidents, they insisted: \u201cIt is not. It is a war against our people.\u201d<\/p>\n
They cited killings, bombings, and abductions across multiple states, noting that thousands have died and millions displaced.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are no longer safe in their homes, on the roads, or even in their workplaces. Daily life has become a gamble with fate\u201d, they lamented.<\/p>\n
Workers may stay home<\/p>\n
In a major escalation, labour warned that it may take the unprecedented step of directing workers to stay home if insecurity persists.<\/p>\n
They said \u201cNigerian workers may no longer continue going to work with this level of insecurity. We may be forced to advise our members\u2026 to stay at home to avoid being kidnapped, abducted or killed.\u201d<\/p>\n
They stressed that such a decision would not be taken lightly but could become unavoidable if the situation does not improve.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe safety of workers is non-negotiable,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n
Energy sector under fire<\/p>\n
Labour also delivered a scathing critique of Nigeria\u2019s power and oil sectors, describing them as symbols of policy failure and elite capture.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver a decade after privatisation, Nigerians have little to show but deepening darkness,\u201d NLC and TUC said of the electricity sector.<\/p>\n
They pointed out that despite over N10 trillion in public spending, power supply remains unreliable.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was promised as reform has become a burden,\u201d they said, adding that consumers now pay more for less.<\/p>\n
On fuel, they highlighted the paradox of an oil-rich nation unable to protect its citizens from price shocks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe contradiction is stark and disheartening,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
Governance under scrutiny<\/p>\n
Labour raised serious concerns about governance, accusing political leaders of being disconnected from the realities of ordinary Nigerians.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen leaders seek better education abroad for their children while neglecting domestic schools\u2026 it raises fundamental questions about commitment,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
They warned that governance risks becoming \u201can extractive enterprise\u201d serving narrow interests rather than the public good.<\/p>\n
Labour also criticized weakening democratic institutions, warning that the erosion of checks and balances threatens national stability.<\/p>\n
A system that bleeds nation<\/p>\n
The unions described corruption and illicit financial flows as one of the greatest threats to Nigeria\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not mere corruption; it is a system\u2026 one that bleeds the nation continuously,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
They cited trillions lost to subsidy fraud and billions to illicit flows, arguing that such losses directly translate into poor services and low wages.<\/p>\n
To confront this, they launched a nationwide campaign: \u201cStop the Bleeding. Every stolen Naira is a stolen future.\u201d<\/p>\n
2027 elections: Labour draws battle lines<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, labour signaled a more assertive political role as the 2027 general elections approach.<\/p>\n
\u201c2027 will be different. No more will we be voting fodder\u201d, they warned.<\/p>\n
NLC and TUC vowed to support only candidates committed to workers\u2019 welfare and national development.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose who have undermined workers\u2019 rights cannot expect our support,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
Engines do not beg<\/p>\n
Despite the dire warnings, labour ended on a note of defiance and resolve, urging workers to recognize their collective power.<\/p>\n
They said : \u201cYou are not victims. You are the engine of this nation. And engines do not beg; they move.\u201d<\/p>\n
They called for unity, organisation, and sustained action: \u201cThe change we seek will not come from elsewhere; it must come from us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among others, NLC and TUC added: \u201cLet this May Day mark the turning point; where Nigerian workers stopped asking and started demanding\u2026 Our nation can be saved! But only by us! Only together! Only now!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"*Announces July for commencement of new minimum wage negotiations*Threatens to direct workers to stay home over killings, kidnappings…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":562419,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[84,1294,192819,56,54,55,192820],"class_list":["post-562418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy","tag-business","tag-economy","tag-may-day","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-workers-day"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/562418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=562418"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/562418\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/562419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=562418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=562418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=562418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}