The NLC demands a new minimum wage and a reduction in petrol prices

The Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) has demanded negotiations on a new national minimum wage, and an immediate reduction in petrol prices, as they lamented that the rising cost of living has eroded workers’ purchasing power.

The Congress chief made these demands in an Independence Day statement titled, “Our Hope Depends on the Choices We Make and the Actions We Take.”

The union said the demands are important as workers and other Nigerians continue to grapple with rising costs of transportation, food, rent and education.

The report primarily attributes the worsening cost of living crisis to rising fuel prices following the removal of subsidies in 2023.

“Petrol is now selling at N1,430 per liter or higher in major cities and much more in remote areas. The surge in transport costs is driving up the prices of food, school fees, rent and almost all living necessities, while nominal wages remain stagnant,” the NLC said.

The union argues that the Federal Government must immediately address the transmission of fuel costs to transportation and other areas of the economy. “Without breaking this chain, all efforts to alleviate people’s suffering will be in vain,” he said.

The NLC also demanded immediate implementation of a national wage cap covering workers in federal, state and local governments, and described the measure as an emergency response to falling real incomes and not as a form of charity.

“The wage hike is not a charity exercise. It is an emergency intervention against falling real incomes,” the union said.

The NLC further accused the government of failing to fully implement the tax relief measures contained in the October 2023 Memorandum of Understanding with workers. They called on the government to provide tax breaks agreed during the dialogue and speed up negotiations on a new national minimum wage.

“The current N70,000 minimum wage has been destroyed by inflation before it was implemented,” the union said, demanding the immediate formation of a tripartite committee to formulate and pass a new wage standard for 2027 before the end of the year.

The current national minimum wage of N70,000 was approved by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024, and the then President said that the wage would be reviewed after three years.

The NLC also called for reduced costs of government, greater transparency in public spending and increased investment in roads, hospitals, schools and other social infrastructure.

“When workers are asked to tighten their belts, the extravagance and extravagance perpetrated by the ruling class is unacceptable. The government must lead by example,” he said.

Regarding fuel subsidies, the labor center questioned what they described as a failure to translate savings from the policy into improvements in infrastructure and social services.

“The government stated that eliminating subsidies would free up resources for infrastructure and social services. Three years later, fuel prices have risen several-fold, but the promised infrastructure and social services remain a pipe dream. Where exactly are the subsidy savings going?” the union asked.

The Federal Government and the Labor Party agreed in October 2023 that subsidy-related measures would include wage supports, tax incentives, CNG buses and other interventions intended to cushion the impact of the policy.

The NLC also criticized Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products and called for greater investment in domestic refining capacity. It said, “Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, relies on refined oil imports, while domestic refining capacity is systematically neglected, except for the efforts of a few private refineries.”

In the area of ​​social welfare, the union calls for affordable and quality public education, functioning health facilities and better road infrastructure, arguing that this is necessary to reduce pressure on households and increase economic productivity.

The NLC also expressed concern over youth unemployment and migration, saying the government must create opportunities that can give young Nigerians a reason to stay in the country.

“The government must create real opportunities so that the younger generation can see hope, instead of being preached about hope,” he said, adding that desperate journeys across the Sahara and the Mediterranean must not continue to be the main source of hope for Nigeria’s young generation.

The union further linked insecurity to the country’s economic woes, arguing that violence had affected agriculture, education and health service delivery. It is argued that insecurity, poverty, unemployment and inequality are interrelated challenges and require attention to the distribution of economic opportunities and resources.

Ahead of the 2027 elections, the NLC said workers should be allowed to make political choices independently and warned against electoral manipulation, voter intimidation and rhetoric that could fuel ethnic or religious tensions.

The union said it would use the proposed Workers’ Charter to articulate its positions on policies and candidates if necessary, but stressed that workers’ organizations should not be treated simply as an electoral tool.

“The Nigerian Labor Congress, at the right time, will use our Labor Charter to clarify which policies and candidates deserve the support of the working class,” Ajaero said.

“However, we will never accept any force that treats workers’ organizations as indispensable electoral tools. Workers have the right to independent political thought, judgment and choice.”

The NLC said its focus will remain on living wages, safe workplaces, accountability and protecting worker welfare. “Unity and mass action are the only reliable forces capable of changing this country. Hope lies in the hands of those who organize, fight and choose their own destiny,” the statement added.