The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has demanded an immediate reduction in petrol prices, a nationwide wage award for workers and negotiations for a new national minimum wage, warning that Nigerians are facing a worsening survival crisis.
In an Independence Day statement signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, the union said inflation had severely eroded the real value of workers’ wages, while rising petrol and transport costs had increased the cost of food, school fees, rent and other essential needs.
The NLC said, “We stand at the crossroads of a full-scale survival crisis,” arguing that structural inflation had significantly reduced workers’ purchasing power.
According to the union, petrol was selling for about ₦1,430 per litre or higher in major cities, with prices even higher in remote areas.
NLC questions subsidy savings
The labour union described the May 2023 petrol price increase as a “systematic assault on the working class” and questioned how savings from the removal of the petrol subsidy had been used.
The NLC said the government had argued that subsidy removal would release funds for infrastructure and social services but claimed that Nigerians had yet to see the expected benefits.
It demanded greater transparency over the use of the funds.
The union also criticised Nigeria’s continued dependence on imported refined petroleum products, despite the country being Africa’s largest oil producer, saying this exposed workers to fluctuations in international oil prices.
Labour demands nationwide wage award
The NLC called for the immediate implementation of a nationwide wage award for workers across the federal, state and local governments.
It said the measure should be treated as an emergency intervention to cushion the erosion of workers’ incomes.
The union also demanded the implementation of tax relief measures agreed upon during the October 2023 government-labour dialogue, saying provisions contained in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both sides had not been implemented.
On the minimum wage, the NLC called for the immediate establishment of a tripartite committee to develop and legislate a new wage standard for 2027 before the end of 2026.
It argued that the current ₦70,000 minimum wage had already lost significant value to inflation.
Calls for lower cost of governance
The NLC also demanded a reduction in the cost of governance and greater transparency in public spending.
It called for increased investment in roads and social infrastructure, alongside improvements in hospitals, schools and other public services.
The union further urged the government to create more opportunities for young Nigerians, saying they should “see hope instead of being preached to about hope.”
On insecurity, the NLC linked violence to worsening economic conditions and said nearly 2,000 Nigerians were killed in violence during the first quarter of 2026.
It said insecurity had affected the ability of farmers, teachers and doctors to work in some areas and argued that poverty, unemployment and inequality needed to be addressed alongside security challenges.
NLC warns politicians ahead of 2027
With political campaigns expected to intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, the NLC warned political actors against manipulating elections, intimidating voters or using ethnic and religious rhetoric to inflame tensions.
The union said it would, at the appropriate time, use its Workers’ Charter to outline the policies and candidates it considered deserving of workers’ support.
However, it stressed that workers retained the right to independent political thought, judgement and choice.
Ajaero said the NLC would continue to advocate for decent wages, safe workplaces and improved living conditions for Nigerian workers.
