The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the Federal Government of shutting out organised labour, as workers threaten fresh nationwide industrial action over worsening economic hardship.
NLC President Joe Ajaero said the Federal Government had failed to meaningfully engage the congress despite repeated attempts to open discussions.
Ajaero made the allegation while speaking on the Mic On Podcast, where he recalled the events that preceded the labour movement’s planned nationwide protest in December 2025.
He said the NLC wrote to President Bola Tinubu several times between May and December 2025 but received no response from the Presidency.
The allegation comes amid renewed tension between organised labour and the Federal Government over petrol prices, wages and the proposed new national minimum wage.
Ajaero: Government Does Not Engage NLC
According to Ajaero, the NLC’s attempts to establish direct engagement with the Federal Government had produced limited results.
“For the past two to three years, it’s not government that is engaging. This government doesn’t engage,” he said.
The NLC president said the congress eventually scheduled a nationwide protest for December 17, 2025, after its correspondence to the President allegedly went unanswered.
He said intervention by some state governors later resulted in an interface with labour leaders.
However, Ajaero said the engagement since then had remained limited, with the issues raised by the union still unresolved.
His comments came shortly after a three-day warning strike by public servants across the country.
Nationwide Strike Threat Follows Three-Day Warning Strike
The latest nationwide strike threat is being driven by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), which represents several public-sector unions.
The council embarked on a three-day warning strike from October 2 to October 4 after the Federal Government failed to meet its demands by the September 30 deadline.
The Nigeria Labour Congress backed the action and supported the concerns raised by the public-sector unions.
After the warning strike ended, the JNPSNC warned that failure by the government to address the outstanding issues could lead to a total strike in the coming weeks.
This means that while a fresh indefinite nationwide strike had not been formally declared by the NLC as of October 7, the threat of further nationwide industrial action remains.
What Are Workers Demanding?
The dispute centres largely on the rising cost of living and the erosion of workers’ purchasing power.
The public-sector unions are demanding a reduction in the price of petrol to ₦500 per litre.
They also want the Federal Government to approve an immediate wage award to cushion workers against the rising cost of essential goods and services.
Another major demand is the immediate establishment of a tripartite committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage ahead of 2027.
The unions have argued that the current ₦70,000 minimum wage has lost significant purchasing power because of inflation and higher transportation, food, housing and education costs.
The JNPSNC has also called for an upward review of salaries and allowances as part of its broader wage demands.
NLC Demands Cheaper Petrol and Wage Award
The NLC separately reinforced these demands in its Independence Day statement.
Ajaero said rising petrol prices had contributed to higher transportation costs, which in turn affected the prices of food and other essential goods.
The congress called for an immediate nationwide wage award covering workers at the federal, state and local government levels.
It also demanded implementation of tax relief measures that it said were agreed during the October 2023 government-labour dialogue.
The NLC further called for the establishment of a tripartite committee to begin work on a new national wage framework before the end of 2026.
NLC Questions Use of Petrol Subsidy Savings
The labour centre has also questioned how savings from the removal of the petrol subsidy are being utilised.
The NLC said Nigerians were told that subsidy savings would be redirected towards infrastructure and social interventions.
Ajaero subsequently demanded greater transparency over the management of those resources.
The congress has linked the issue to the broader debate about whether the economic reforms introduced since 2023 have delivered sufficient relief for workers and households.
The Federal Government, meanwhile, has maintained that its reforms are intended to stabilise the economy and create the conditions for sustainable growth.
FCT NLC Begins Separate Indefinite Strike
The labour tensions have taken another turn in the Federal Capital Territory.
The NLC FCT Council declared an indefinite strike from October 7, directing workers across public and private establishments in Abuja to withdraw their services.
The action followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Administration over unresolved issues affecting teachers.
One of the central disputes concerns the implementation of a vacancy clause affecting teachers’ promotions.
The NLC argues that teachers recruited specifically to teach should not have their career progression tied to vacancies in the same manner as general pool officers.
The union also raised concerns about redeployment and other conditions affecting teachers in the territory.
The FCT action is separate from the nationwide warning strike organised by the JNPSNC.
Why Another Nationwide Strike Could Matter
A fresh nationwide industrial action could have wider consequences for public services and economic activity.
The October warning strike already affected federal, state and local government operations in several parts of the country.
A prolonged action could disrupt government offices, public institutions and other services, depending on the unions participating and the level of compliance.
It could also increase pressure on the Federal Government to reopen discussions with organised labour.
However, the extent of any future strike will depend on subsequent negotiations and decisions by the labour unions.
Government-Labour Engagement Under Pressure
The latest dispute places government-labour relations under renewed pressure.
For the NLC, the central issue is not only wages but also the process through which workers’ concerns are addressed.
Ajaero’s allegation that the Federal Government has been distant from the congress is a statement from the labour leadership and has not, in itself, established that no government engagement has occurred.
Indeed, government-labour engagements have taken place on issues including minimum wage and workers’ welfare.
The present disagreement is therefore also about the scope, frequency and outcome of those engagements.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus will be whether the Federal Government engages the JNPSNC and NLC on the outstanding demands.
The unions are seeking action on petrol prices, wage relief and preparations for a new minimum wage.
At the same time, the NLC’s FCT council has commenced its separate indefinite strike over teachers’ concerns.
As of October 7, the available reports point to a threat of further nationwide industrial action rather than a confirmed new nationwide indefinite strike by the NLC.
The distinction is significant.
The three-day national warning strike has ended, but organised labour has warned that a larger action could follow if negotiations fail.
For workers and the wider public, the outcome will largely depend on whether both sides can return to negotiations and resolve the outstanding issues before another nationwide shutdown is called.
