The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is considering a renewed push for a federal minimum wage review to address the escalating cost of living, announced NLC President Joe Ajaero. Speaking at the 8th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Ajaero underscored the necessity of a wage increase to protect workers’ purchasing power amidst current economic pressures.
Ajaero voiced the NLC’s intent to advocate for a government-led reassessment of wages as inflation continues to impact Nigerian workers. “Our choices are very limited,” he stated. “It is either we find a way to collectively overcome the forces that are bent on keeping us down as a people or we completely surrender to them while wringing our hands in hopelessness.” He emphasized that organized labor remains the nation’s strongest tool to counterbalance neoliberal forces, asserting that only a united trade union can confront economic policies that undermine social welfare.
Ajaero also reiterated the NLC’s demand for the federal government to recommission Nigeria’s public refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, following a previous agreement made on October 5, 2023. The NLC president emphasized that revitalizing these refineries is crucial to reducing the country’s dependency on imported refined petroleum products, thereby easing financial burdens on Nigerians. “We cannot afford to keep our public refineries shut while still importing refined petroleum products,” Ajaero stressed. “We demand a review of our salaries in lieu of its eroded values.”
Addressing the delegates, Ajaero urged the incoming leadership of the NANNM to prioritize healthcare workers’ welfare, emphasizing the importance of fair working conditions and equity within the healthcare sector. “True leadership transcends titles and positions; it is reflected in the impact you have on the lives of those you serve,” he noted. “Advocating for fair working conditions, championing healthcare workers’ rights, and striving for equity are not just duties—they are the marks of meaningful leadership.”
The NLC’s call for a minimum wage review and recommissioning of refineries underscores its commitment to enhancing workers’ welfare amid economic challenges, reflecting the Congress’s ongoing efforts to secure equitable economic policies for Nigerian laborers.
