Minimum Wage Review: We’re Battle Ready For Major National Struggle — NLC

Monday July 20, 2026
www.thenewsdesk.ng

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared that it is fully prepared to embark on a major nationwide struggle to secure a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage, insisting that Nigerian workers deserve better wages amid the country’s worsening economic hardship.

NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, made the declaration during the commissioning of the Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners Legacy House and Multipurpose Hall in Abuja, where he also pledged that organised labour would intensify its campaign for improved welfare for both workers and retirees.

According to Ajaero, the Congress has begun preparations for what he described as a significant national movement aimed at ensuring a realistic review of the minimum wage in line with prevailing economic realities. He stressed that organised labour would not relent until workers receive salaries capable of meeting the rising cost of living.

The labour leader maintained that discussions on workers’ welfare must no longer exclude pensioners, arguing that Nigerians who devoted their productive years to public service deserve to retire with dignity rather than struggle to survive on meagre pensions.

He disclosed that, beyond advocating for a new national minimum wage, the NLC would also push for the establishment of a national minimum pension, describing the current condition of many retirees as unacceptable and unjust.

Ajaero lamented that soaring inflation and the continuous rise in the prices of food, transportation and healthcare have significantly eroded the purchasing power of Nigerian workers and pensioners. He said the country’s economic realities demand urgent government intervention to protect citizens from deepening hardship.

He therefore urged workers and pensioners across the country to remain united and prepared for what he described as the ideological and economic battles ahead, assuring them that the NLC would continue to champion policies that guarantee fair wages, improved pensions and decent living conditions for all Nigerian workers.

The latest declaration signals a renewed push by organised labour for another round of negotiations with the Federal Government as the implementation of the current national minimum wage comes under increasing scrutiny amid persistent inflationary pressures and rising living costs.