The Nigeria Labour Congress has called for an immediate reduction in petrol prices, a nationwide wage award, and fresh negotiations for a new national minimum wage, citing the rising cost of living and declining purchasing power of workers.
NLC President Joe Ajaero made the demands in an Independence Day statement issued on Wednesday, September 30, as Nigeria marked its 66th anniversary.
The union said rising costs of transportation, food, rent, and education had placed growing pressure on workers and other Nigerians. It attributed much of the pressure to higher petrol prices following the removal of the fuel subsidy in 2023.
According to the NLC, petrol is selling for about N1,430 per litre or more in major cities, with prices higher in some remote areas. It said higher fuel and transport costs were driving up the prices of other essential goods and services.
The labour centre also demanded a nationwide wage award for federal, state, and local government workers, describing it as an emergency measure to cushion the decline in real incomes.
The call follows the October 2023 agreement between the Federal Government and organized labor, which included a N35,000 monthly wage award for federal workers and other measures to cushion the impact of subsidy removal.
The NLC further called for the immediate constitution of a tripartite committee to begin negotiations for a new minimum wage for 2027. It argued that inflation had significantly eroded the value of the current N70,000 minimum wage.
President Bola Tinubu approved the N70,000 minimum wage in July 2024 and said it would be reviewed after three years.
Beyond wages and petrol prices, the NLC demanded lower governance costs, greater transparency in public spending, and increased investment in roads, healthcare, education, and other social infrastructure.
It also urged greater investment in domestic refining to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products and called for more opportunities for young Nigerians amid concerns over unemployment and migration.
The union linked insecurity, poverty, unemployment, and inequality, arguing that economic and social measures were needed alongside security efforts.
On the 2027 elections, the NLC said workers should be free to make independent political choices and cautioned against voter intimidation, electoral manipulation, and rhetoric that could fuel ethnic or religious tensions.
The union said its proposed Workers’ Charter would set out its positions on policies and candidates at the appropriate time, while insisting that workers’ organizations should not be treated merely as electoral tools.
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