The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged Nigerians to unite with organised labour in addressing economic challenges affecting the country.
NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, made the call at the 2026 Conference of the Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) in Lagos.
The theme of the conference was “Workers at the Centre of Nigeria’s Political Transition: Defending Rights, Advancing Welfare and Building Economic Justice”.
Ajaero said issues such as rising fuel prices, transportation costs and the general cost of living required collective action beyond the labour movement.
He said that NLC was willing to work with other Nigerians to address shared economic concerns, stressing that the consequences of rising costs affected everyone.
“We are available. Can we work together on things that affect us?,” the president asked.
Ajaero said that a reduction in the price of petrol would benefit all Nigerians, not only organised labour.
“If we reduce pump price, every Nigerian will benefit from it,” he said.
Ajaero criticised the silence of other stakeholders over economic policies and their consequences, saying that the burden should not be left to the labour movement alone.
The NLC president also questioned Nigeria’s continued export of crude oil for the importation of refined petroleum products, in spite of the country’s domestic needs.
He expressed concern that the country was still considering additional borrowing in spite of the increase in international crude oil prices above the benchmark used in preparing the national budget.
Ajaero urged Nigerians to collectively demand accountability and engage government on policies affecting the economy.
He recalled the role of labour and civil society groups in previous struggles for democratic rights and economic justice, warning that the weakening of the labour movement would affect the wider society.
“If the labour movement breaks today, all of you are victims,” Ajaero said.
Also speaking, the Deputy General Secretary of NLC, Comrade Ismail Bello, commended journalists for their longstanding partnership with organised labour in advancing workers’ rights and social justice.
Bello said that labour correspondents and other media professionals had helped bring workers’ concerns, including wage negotiations, retrenchment, workplace accidents, pension challenges and violations of freedom of association, to public attention.
He said that journalists’ reports went beyond covering events, providing a public record of workers’ experiences and struggles.
Bello also acknowledged journalists who had faced intimidation and physical assaults while covering labour activities.
In his remarks, Comrade Rufus Olusesan, the National President of the Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA), called for greater accountability in the management of Nigeria’s oil revenue.
Olusesan alleged that the Federal Government realised more than N5.1 trillion in additional revenue from the increase in crude oil prices between March and April.
He said that crude oil prices rose from the budget benchmark of 68 dollars per barrel to between 109 and 110 dollars during the period, questioning how the additional revenue had been utilised.
Olusesan urged Nigerians to demand transparency and accountability in the management of public resources, saying that the country’s abundant natural and human resources required responsible leadership.
