The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for an immediate reduction in the price of petrol, a nationwide wage award for workers and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage ahead of 2027.
The NLC made the demands in a statement signed by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, ahead of Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary.
The statement, titled “Our Hope Depends on the Choices We Make and the Actions We Take,” said the demands were necessary to address what the labour union described as worsening economic hardship facing workers and Nigerians generally.
According to the NLC, inflation has significantly eroded the purchasing power of workers, while rising petrol and transportation costs have pushed up the prices of food, school fees, rent and other essential goods and services.
The union said petrol was selling at about ₦1,430 per litre or higher in major cities, with prices reportedly higher in remote areas.
The NLC also criticised the Federal Government’s removal of petrol subsidy, questioning the extent to which the savings from the policy had translated into infrastructure and social services.
“Three years later, petrol prices have multiplied several times over, yet the promised infrastructure and social services remain mirages,” the union said.
The labour organisation called for the immediate implementation of a nationwide wage award for workers at the federal, state and local government levels.
It argued that the wage award should be viewed as an emergency measure to cushion the impact of inflation and the declining value of workers’ incomes.
“A wage award is not charity. It is an emergency intervention against the collapse of real income,” the NLC said.
The union also demanded the implementation of tax relief measures it said were agreed upon during the October 2023 dialogue between the government and organised labour.
On the national minimum wage, the NLC called for the immediate constitution of a tripartite committee to begin negotiations for a new wage standard for 2027.
The union said the current ₦70,000 minimum wage had been significantly eroded by inflation and should be reviewed.
It urged the government to ensure that negotiations are concluded and the new wage standard legislated before the end of 2026.
The NLC also called for a reduction in the cost of governance and greater transparency in the management of public resources.
It argued that government must demonstrate fiscal responsibility at a time workers are being asked to cope with rising living costs.
The union further urged increased investment in roads, hospitals, schools and other critical social infrastructure, alongside the creation of economic opportunities for young Nigerians.
The labour body also raised concerns over insecurity, saying violence had disrupted farming, education, healthcare and economic activities in parts of the country.
It argued that poverty, unemployment and inequality contribute to conditions that can fuel violence and crime.
“Without addressing distributive justice, insecurity cannot be cured, and without curing insecurity, no economic recovery is possible,” the union said.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the NLC called for the protection of voters’ choices and warned against electoral manipulation, voter intimidation and rhetoric capable of aggravating ethnic or religious tensions.
The union said workers would assess political parties and candidates based on their policies and records concerning workers’ interests.
It said its Workers’ Charter would be used at the appropriate time to communicate the policies and candidates that align with the interests of the working class.
However, the NLC stressed that workers’ organisations should not be treated merely as electoral tools, maintaining that workers have the right to independent political thought, judgment and choice.
The union reaffirmed its commitment to better wages, safer workplaces, accountability in governance and improved living conditions for Nigerian workers.
It concluded its Independence Day message with the declaration: “The struggle continues.”
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