Nigeria’s organised labour has issued a stark warning over the state of the nation, rejecting the Federal Government’s economic growth claims and threatening to direct workers to stay at home if worsening insecurity persists across the country.
At the 2026 May Day celebration, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress delivered a joint address that painted a grim picture of deepening poverty, rising violence, and what they described as a failing social contract.
Presidents of the unions, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, said the current economic realities contradict official narratives of progress, insisting that the benefits of reforms have been captured by a narrow elite while millions of Nigerians continue to struggle.
They declared that “an economy that serves only the top one per cent while leaving the 99 per cent behind cannot be sustainable,” adding that workers, who remain the backbone of the economy, are increasingly unable to meet basic needs.
The labour leaders dismissed projections of economic growth, noting that such figures do not reflect the lived realities of citizens.
“We are told that GDP growth may reach about 3.6 per cent, yet poverty continues to rise. Inflation figures announced do not capture the daily hardship faced by workers,” they said.
According to them, the country is experiencing “growth without jobs, stability without prosperity, and reform without relief.”
Citing alarming poverty statistics, the unions said about 65 per cent of Nigerians—estimated at 150 million people—are living in poverty, with nearly 10,000 individuals pushed into deprivation daily.
They warned that worsening conditions have led to increased rural-urban migration, food insecurity, and the resurgence of diseases linked to extreme poverty in internally displaced persons camps.
On wages, organised labour announced that negotiations for a new national minimum wage would commence in July 2026, while demanding immediate relief for workers.
“We demand that from July this year, every worker be paid 100 per cent of his basic salary to cushion the effects of the current crisis. What we need is a living wage, not just a minimum wage,” they stated.
The unions were particularly alarmed by the deteriorating security situation, describing Nigeria as one of the most dangerous places to live.
“The scale and frequency of killings, kidnappings and attacks amount to a war against the people,” they said, adding that citizens are no longer safe in their homes, workplaces or on the roads.
They warned that labour might take the unprecedented step of asking workers to withdraw their services nationwide if the situation does not improve.
“Nigerian workers may no longer continue going to work under these conditions. We may be forced to advise our members to stay at home to avoid being kidnapped or killed,” they said, stressing that workers’ safety is non-negotiable.
The unions also criticised the power and petroleum sectors, describing them as failures of policy and governance. They noted that despite trillions of naira invested in the electricity industry since privatisation, power supply remains erratic, with consumers paying more for less.
On governance, labour accused political leaders of being disconnected from the realities of ordinary Nigerians, warning that public institutions are weakening while corruption and illicit financial flows continue to drain national resources.
“This is not mere corruption; it is a system that continuously bleeds the nation,” they said, launching a campaign tagged “Stop the Bleeding.”
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the unions signalled a shift towards greater political engagement, vowing to support only candidates committed to workers’ welfare and national development.
“2027 will be different. Workers will no longer be used as voting tools. Those who undermine workers’ rights should not expect our support,” they added.
Despite the dire assessment, labour urged workers to remain united and assert their collective strength.
“You are the engine of this nation, and engines do not beg—they move,” the leaders said, calling for sustained action to drive meaningful change.
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