Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to urgently review workers’ wages, strengthen security nationwide and implement pro-people policies in 2026.
The Congress warned that organised labour would resist any actions that further impoverish Nigerians.
In a New Year’s message to workers and citizens, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said 2025 exposed deep socioeconomic vulnerabilities, but did not weaken labour’s resolve to fight for social justice, equitable wealth redistribution and national cohesion.
Ajaero said the NLC was entering 2026 with fortified resolve rather than naïve hope, noting that assurances of more meaningful engagement by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, secured through sustained labour pressure, had opened a window for dialogue.
He, however, stressed that workers and citizens must remain vigilant, adding that organised labour would support only governments and political actors who demonstrate a genuine commitment to uplifting the masses through clear, actionable and pro-people programmes.
NLC also rejected what Ajaero described as mercantilistic politicians whose policies worsen living standards for the benefit of a privileged few.
Against the backdrop of rising inflation and worsening hardship, the NLC demanded an urgent wage review, insisting that workers’ incomes must guarantee a dignified life and not mere survival, in line with the President’s pledge to pay living wages.
On security, Ajaero described the safety of lives and property as a fundamental right, acknowledging recent gains while urging the government to consolidate on them, adding, “Nigerians deserve peace and security wherever they live. There must be no retreat.”
He added that labour’s mobilisation in 2026 would be strategic and tactful, aimed at national interest, unity and resistance to divisive tactics by the ruling elite.
Calling for unity, he urged workers and citizens to reject division and stand together in 2026, describing collective action and solidarity as the strongest tools for national transformation and reconciliation.
In its New Year’s message, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Lagos State Council, said that as the dawn of 2026 breaks, workers stand once again at the threshold of hope renewed, strength reborn, and faith rekindled in the dignity of labour and the power of collective resolve.
The Chairman TUC, Lagos State Council, Abiodun Aladetan, in a New Year message, prayed that 2026 must be a year where workers’ voices are not only heard but respected.
He said the year 2025 tested workers in many ways, economically, socially and institutionally.
Yet, in the face of hardship, the TUC chairman said Nigerian workers did not surrender to despair.
“Instead, you stood firm, demanding fairness, equity, and respect through lawful, peaceful, and principled engagement. That courage must remain our compass in 2026,” he said.
He called on all workers to remain united, vigilant and engaged, even as they rebuild trust within ranks, close the gaps that divide them, and move forward together with a shared vision of a stronger, more responsive labour movement.
