The Nigeria Labour Congress has demanded an immediate reduction in petrol prices, a nationwide wage award for workers and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage for 2027.
The labour union made the demands in a statement signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, on Wednesday, ahead of Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary.
The NLC said the measures were necessary to address what it described as worsening economic hardship facing workers and the wider population.
The union said the purchasing power of workers’ wages had been eroded by inflation, while rising petrol and transportation costs had pushed up the prices of food, school fees, rent and other essential goods and services.
The NLC said petrol now sells for about ₦1,430 per litre or more in major cities, with prices higher in remote areas.
It also criticised the Federal Government’s removal of petrol subsidies, arguing that Nigerians were yet to see the infrastructure and social services it said were expected to result from savings generated by the policy.
The union demanded the immediate implementation of a nationwide wage award for workers at the federal, state and local government levels, describing it as an emergency intervention to cushion the erosion of workers’ incomes.
It also called for the implementation of tax relief measures it said were agreed during the October 2023 negotiations between the government and organised labour.
On the minimum wage, the NLC called for the immediate establishment of a tripartite committee to negotiate a new wage standard for 2027.
The union said the current ₦70,000 minimum wage had already lost significant value to inflation and should be replaced with a new wage standard that would be negotiated and legislated before the end of 2026.
Beyond wages, the NLC called on the government to reduce the cost of governance and improve transparency in the management of public resources.
It also urged greater investment in roads, hospitals, schools and other social infrastructure, while calling for policies that would create more economic opportunities for young Nigerians.
The union linked the country’s security challenges to economic hardship, saying insecurity had disrupted farming, education, healthcare and economic activities in parts of the country.
It argued that poverty, unemployment and inequality must be addressed alongside insecurity to achieve sustainable economic recovery.
On the 2027 general elections, the NLC called for the protection of voters’ choices and warned against electoral manipulation, voter intimidation and rhetoric capable of fuelling ethnic or religious tensions.
The union said workers would assess political parties and candidates based on their policies and records concerning workers’ interests.
The NLC also said workers’ organisations would not accept being treated merely as electoral tools, stressing that workers had the right to independent political thought, judgment and choice.
The labour body reaffirmed its commitment to better wages, safer workplaces, accountability in governance and improved living conditions for Nigerian workers as the country marks its 66th Independence anniversary.
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