The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) jointly marked the 2025 International Workers’ Day with a bold and unified presentation of far-reaching demands to the Nigerian government, aimed at restoring dignity to labour, ensuring economic fairness, and reclaiming democratic accountability.
The event, held at Eagle Square in the heart of the capital, saw Comrade Joe Ajaero and Comrade Festus Osifo, Presidents of the NLC and TUC respectively, deliver a fiery address that echoed the deep frustrations and aspirations of the Nigerian working class.
In their address, the two labour leaders decried what they described as the “unconstitutional suspension of the elected government of Rivers State” through a declaration of a State of Emergency, which they emphasized has no basis in Nigerian law. They called for an immediate reversal of this action, arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent for democratic governance.
Central to their demands was a clear call for economic justice. They highlighted the urgent need for salary adjustments that reflect current economic realities, insisting that workers cannot continue to bear the brunt of inflation, rising costs, and policy failures. They criticized the existing PAYEE tax system, questioning the government on what exactly is being taxed and demanding transparency in how these deductions are calculated and applied.
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The labour centres further rejected the Tax Bills currently before the National Assembly, stating that these legislative moves have excluded the voices of Nigerian workers. They insisted that workers must have a seat at the table during the formulation of tax policies that will directly affect them.
They also pushed for the immediate implementation of an agreed reduction in telecommunications tariffs from 50% to 35%, a promise they said has yet to materialize. They expressed frustration with the continued prioritization of corporate profits over the survival of the ordinary Nigerian, calling for reforms that would shift focus toward the people. Essential services such as energy, infrastructure, and public utilities, they emphasized, must be oriented toward serving the public interest rather than private gains. In line with this, they reiterated their longstanding demand for a comprehensive review — with the ultimate aim of a reversal — of the Electricity Sector Privatization, which they argued has failed to improve service delivery while deepening economic hardship for consumers.
On matters of governance, they demanded democratic accountability, transparency, and urgent electoral reforms. The labour bodies condemned what they described as a sustained suppression of civic space and dissent, calling on both federal and state governments to stop actions that erode citizens’ rights and instead work to strengthen democratic norms.
Security was also a major theme in their speech. They called for an immediate end to the widespread killings and bloodshed across the country, labeling the violence as genocidal and intolerable. They expressed deep concern over the safety of Nigerian workers, both within their workplaces and in the general environment, urging the government to prioritize the protection of lives.
The rights and welfare of workers took center stage as they called for improved working conditions, including safe workplaces, the right to organize freely, and protection from both state and employer intimidation or violence. They also pushed for the expansion of the National Labour Advisory Council’s activities and increased frequency of its meetings to better respond to emerging challenges in the labour sector.
The leaders condemned the continued indiscriminate registration of new unions in sectors where existing unions already have effective coverage, warning that such actions weaken organized labour and threaten its coherence. They demanded the immediate settlement of all outstanding allowances, pensions, and gratuities across the country, stressing that retired public servants, who devoted decades to national service, deserve a dignified and secure retirement.
Reiterating this, they called for the full restoration of gratuity payments, pointing out the injustice of denying career public servants benefits that are routinely enjoyed by political office holders after short tenures. They also advocated for a uniform upward review of the retirement age to 65 years or 40 years of service — a policy currently applicable to teachers, health professionals, and judicial officers — to be extended to all categories of public servants.
Labour also raised the issue of what they described as dehumanizing verification exercises faced by retirees, calling for more humane and efficient systems that respect the dignity of the elderly. They pushed for the establishment of a nationally accepted minimum pension that guarantees retirees a life of dignity and demanded that pensions be automatically adjusted in accordance with inflationary trends to protect their real value.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to defending the rights and welfare of Nigerian workers. They called on the government to engage in genuine dialogue and to treat workers not as adversaries, but as partners in the effort to build a just, prosperous, and equitable nation.
The two labour leaders added that the mass gathering of workers at Eagle Square resonated as a strong message to government authorities, employers of labour, and stakeholders that the struggle for workers’ rights remains not only relevant but necessary, and that the resilience of the Nigerian worker must never be taken for granted.
The demand in full reads:
“We make the following demands: An urgent reversal of the unconstitutional suspension of the elected Government of Rivers State via a State of Emergency which is alien to our laws. That the federal and state governments should cease actions that erode the civic space but should encourage and deepen it for the sake of our nation. An immediate salary adjustment in sync with economic realities.
“That Government explains what exactly it is taxing in the PAYEE. The withdrawal of the Tax Bills before the National Assembly to allow Nigerian workers sit at the table where it is being conceived. An immediate implementation of the reduction of telco tariff from 50% to 35% as agreed. Economic Justice; A living wage, fair taxation, and an end to policies that prioritize corporate profits over workers’ survival. Democratic Accountability, Transparent governance, electoral reforms, and an end to the suppression of dissent. Energy, infrastructure, and essential services must serve the people, not private interests. Regulators must work for the people!
“An end to the genocidal killings and bloodletting across the nation. Workers’ Rights & Security – Safe workplaces, the right to organize, and protection from state and employer violence. An expansion of NLAC’s activities and increasing the meeting periods. That the indiscriminate registration of new unions in areas with proper coverage should stop. Immediate payment of all outstanding allowances, pensions and gratuities across the nation.
“Restoration of Gratuity Payments. Public servants, who served diligently for decades, deserve a dignified exit just like political office holders who serve for much shorter periods. Upward Review of Retirement Age. It is imperative to extend the revised retirement age of 65 years or 40 years of service — currently enjoyed by teachers, health professionals, and judges — to all public servants.
“An end to dehumanizing verification exercises in the public service. An acceptable National Minimum Pension to guarantee dignity in retirement. Automatic adjustment of pensions to reflect inflationary trends. Once again, we call for a review of the Electricity Privatization exercise with the view to a reversal.”
and then