The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the Federal Government to urgently review workers’ salaries in the new year, citing escalating inflation and worsening hardship across the country.
In his New Year address to workers, the President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, said workers’ earnings must reflect a living wage and not merely support survival.
“Given the escalating inflation and suffering, we demand an urgent wage review as a worker’s income must guarantee life, not mere survival, in furtherance of Mr President’s promise to pay living wages. We shall pursue this with every legitimate means at our disposal,” Ajaero said.
The labour leader acknowledged that 2025 was a particularly difficult year for Nigerian workers, marked by economic strain and deepening vulnerabilities.
“As we stand on the threshold of 2026, the Nigeria Labour Congress extends strong solidarity and firm fraternal greetings to every toiling hand and every citizen burdened by the weight of our current socioeconomic system. The past year was no doubt challenging, as well as exposed our vulnerabilities,” he stated.
Despite the challenges, Ajaero said organised labour remained resolute in its pursuit of social justice and equitable wealth redistribution.
“But they did little to dip our focus or resolve in our strive for national cohesion through equitable redistribution of wealth and social justice,” he added.
Ajaero said the new year comes with cautious hope, following assurances of more meaningful engagement from the Federal Government led by Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We enter this new year not with naive hope, but with a fortified resolve, strengthened by struggle and clarity. The promises of a more faithful and meaningful engagement from the Federal Government as pledged by the President… have opened a potential vista for dialogue,” he said.
He, however, warned that the NLC would remain vigilant and would not hesitate to mobilise workers to hold government accountable.
Ajaero said: “Our duty is crystal clear; we must organise, mobilise, and hold every tier of government accountable. We will work with and support only those governments and political actors who demonstrate, through clear, pro-people plans and actionable commitments, a genuine desire to uplift the masses from poverty and oppression.”
The NLC president said organised labour would resist political manipulation and reject leaders who thrive on empty promises and divisive politics.
“We reject outright those mercantilistic politicians whose stock-in-trade are empty promises, divisive rhetoric, and policies that decimate our living standards for the benefit of a parasitic few,” he said.
He added that security must remain a top priority for governments at all levels, stressing that peace and safety are critical to national stability.
The NLC President said: “We acknowledge recent successes. We will continue to urge the state to build on the on-going successes as the people are deserving of peace and security wherever they live. The government should not look back.”
Ajaero concluded by urging workers to remain united in 2026, describing solidarity as the strongest tool for national transformation.
“Let us therefore move forward, more united, more organised, and more resolved than ever before. Our power continues to be in our numbers and our victory in our solidarity,” he said.