2025 May Day: DG MINILS, Aremu salutes resilience of organised labour, govt, employers

International Workers’ Day, globally celebrated on May 1st, underscores the dignity of labour and its role as the foundation of national prosperity. It is worth recalling that May Day was formally declared a national holiday in Nigeria by former President Shehu Shagari in 1981, following sustained advocacy by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Despite the expected complexities accompanying the government’s Renewed Reform Agenda—particularly with the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira—labour, government, and employers have collectively demonstrated commendable maturity in managing the transition. Through sustained dialogue, stakeholders have succeeded in safeguarding jobs, avoiding mass retrenchment, respecting freedom of association, improving the national minimum wage, enhancing the contributory pension scheme, and preserving industrial harmony as a catalyst for national development.

The Director-General emphasized the need to strengthen peaceful and just industrial relations through consistent and inclusive labour education as offered by MINILS. “We are living in a defining period of far-reaching reforms under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This demands renewed focus on training, retraining, and capacity building to foster mutually beneficial compromises that cushion reform pains and optimise outcomes for labour, businesses, and government,” he said.

Comrade Aremu also commended the Management and staff of MINILS for the institute’s continued progress in fulfilling its statutory mandate. Notably, for the first time in its history, the Institute launched a Corporate Strategic Plan (2022–2026)—a roadmap grounded in the Institute’s enabling Act and aligned with stakeholder expectations. In addition, 245 staff members have been promoted since 2022, while the Institute has also ensured the payment of welfare allowances, retirement repatriations, and death benefits, demonstrating its commitment to staff welfare.

While acknowledging that challenges are part of every organization’s journey, as evidenced by the recent expressions of dissatisfaction from in-house unions, the Director-General  remains confident that the Institute’s long-standing labour-friendly dispute resolution platforms offer the most effective path to workplace harmony rather than public confrontation.

Accordingly, Aremu urges all stakeholders to take advantage of existing communication channels while also advising the media and public to avoid amplifying unverified claims that may misrepresent facts or damage reputations.

In the spirit of May Day and in alignment with the Institute’s values of collaboration and inclusion, 

MINILS remains firmly committed to its mission of providing quality labour education, promoting social justice, and nurturing peaceful industrial relations in its pursuit of institutional excellence.

Happy May Day! Long live Nigerian workers. Long live the labour movement.