By Chibuzor Alli
The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to ease the pressure of rising living costs, demanding lower petrol prices, a nationwide wage award and the immediate commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage.
The labour centre said the purchasing power of Nigerian workers had been severely weakened by rising transportation, food, rent and education costs, warning that the situation required urgent government intervention.
The demands were contained in an Independence Day statement signed by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, on Wednesday and titled, “Our Hope Depends on the Choices We Make and the Actions We Take.”
The union particularly pointed to the cost of petrol as a major driver of the economic pressure facing households, arguing that increases in fuel prices are transmitted through transportation and subsequently affect the prices of essential goods and services.
“Petrol now sells at N1,430 per litre or higher in major cities and far more in remote areas. The surge in transportation costs drives up the prices of food, school fees, rent, and nearly every necessity of life, while nominal wages remain stagnant,” the NLC said.
The Congress urged the Federal Government to urgently address the impact of petrol prices on transportation and the wider economy.
“Without cutting this chain, any effort to ease the suffering of the people is futile,” it said.
The NLC also demanded an immediate nationwide wage award for workers across the federal, state and local governments, describing the measure as an emergency response to the decline in real incomes.
“A wage award is not charity. It is an emergency intervention against the collapse of real income,” the union said.
The demand comes against the background of the October 2023 agreement reached between the Federal Government and organised labour following the removal of the petrol subsidy. Among the measures agreed at the time was a N35,000 monthly wage award for federal workers, alongside consideration of similar relief for workers at the state and local government levels.
The labour centre further accused the government of failing to fully implement tax relief measures contained in its October 2023 Memorandum of Understanding with labour.
It called for the outstanding tax relief measures to be implemented and urged the government to accelerate negotiations for a new national minimum wage.
“The current N70,000 minimum wage was already destroyed by inflation before it was implemented,” the union said.
The NLC subsequently demanded the immediate constitution of a tripartite committee to formulate and legislate a new wage standard for 2027 before the end of the year.
The current N70,000 national minimum wage was approved by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024, following negotiations involving the government, organised labour and the private sector. At the time, Tinubu agreed that the wage would be reviewed after three years.
Beyond wages and petrol, the NLC called for a reduction in the cost of governance, greater transparency in public expenditure and increased investment in infrastructure, including roads, hospitals and schools.
“When workers are asked to tighten their belts, the extravagance and waste of the governing class are unacceptable. Government must lead by example,” it said.
The union also questioned the extent to which savings from the removal of the petrol subsidy had translated into improvements in infrastructure and social services.
“Government claimed subsidy removal would free up resources for infrastructure and social services. Three years later, petrol prices have multiplied several times over, yet the promised infrastructure and social services remain mirages. Where exactly did the subsidy savings go?” the union asked.
The Federal Government and labour had agreed in October 2023 that measures linked to the subsidy removal would include wage support, tax incentives, compressed natural gas buses and other interventions intended to cushion the impact of the policy.
The NLC also raised concerns about Nigeria’s continued dependence on imported refined petroleum products, calling for stronger investment in domestic refining capacity.
It said, “Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, depends on imported refined petroleum, while domestic refining capacity has been systematically neglected, except the efforts of a few private refineries.”
The union said stronger domestic refining capacity would be important in reducing the country’s exposure to movements in the international oil market and improving energy security.
On social welfare, the NLC demanded affordable and quality public education, functional healthcare facilities and better road infrastructure, arguing that improvements in these areas would reduce pressure on households while supporting economic productivity.
The labour centre also drew attention to youth unemployment and migration, saying the government needed to create meaningful economic opportunities for young Nigerians.
“The government must create genuine opportunities so that young people can see hope instead of being preached to about hope,” it said, adding that desperate journeys across the Sahara and Mediterranean should not remain a major source of hope for young Nigerians.
The NLC further linked insecurity to the country’s economic difficulties, saying violence had disrupted farming, education and healthcare delivery.
According to the union, insecurity, poverty, unemployment and inequality are interconnected challenges that require attention to how economic opportunities and resources are distributed.
The statement also looked ahead to the 2027 general elections, with the NLC calling for workers to retain the freedom to make independent political choices.
The union warned against electoral manipulation, voter intimidation and rhetoric capable of aggravating ethnic or religious tensions.
It said its proposed Workers’ Charter would be used at the appropriate time to articulate its positions on policies and candidates, while insisting that workers’ organisations should not be reduced to electoral instruments.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress will, at the appropriate time, use our Workers’ Charter to make it clear which policies and candidates deserve the support of the working class,” Ajaero said.
“However, we will never accept any force treating workers’ organisations as dispensable electoral tools. Workers have the right to independent political thoughts, judgement, and choice.”
The NLC said its priorities would remain centred on decent wages, safe workplaces, accountability and the protection of workers’ welfare.
“The unity and action of the masses is the only reliable force capable of changing this country. Hope belongs to those who organise, who struggle, and who choose their own destiny,” the statement added.
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