The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticised the worsening economic hardship and insecurity across the country, saying millions of Nigerians are suffering under policies that have deepened poverty and inequality.
In a Sallah message issued ahead of Eid-el-Kabir, NLC President Joe Ajaero said workers and ordinary citizens were “bleeding under the weight of neoliberal policies”, urging political leaders to reconsider economic decisions affecting the poor.
The statement comes amid mounting public concern over the impact of reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, including the removal of petrol subsidies and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market.
While the government says the measures are necessary to stabilise the economy and attract investment, many Nigerians have struggled with soaring inflation, rising transport fares, and increasing food prices
“As we mark Eid-el-Kabir, a festival of sacrifice and obedience, the NLC reminds all Nigerians that this celebration should be different,” the union said.
“The working class and the poor majority are bleeding under the weight of neoliberal policies.”
The labour union said governance should focus on protecting lives and improving living standards rather than prioritising profits over people.
According to the NLC, Nigerians deserve access to food, shelter, healthcare, education and decent jobs.
The union also linked the worsening economic situation to rising insecurity across the country, citing kidnappings, bandit attacks, communal clashes and urban violence as evidence of governance failures.
“The worsening insecurity that now threatens the existence of our nation, from banditry to kidnapping, from herdsmen bloodshed to urban violence, is a direct indictment of our governance model,” the statement added.
The NLC further accused political leaders of asking citizens to make sacrifices while failing to show restraint in public spending and leadership conduct.
“This season demands that our leaders search themselves and decide to work for a Nigeria that will work for the majority and not for the few who occupy high public offices,” it said.
The union urged Nigerians to use the Eid period not only for prayers and celebration, but also for “political education, grassroots organising, and the building of a united front of the oppressed.”
In what appeared to be an early political signal ahead of the next general elections, the labour body warned that workers and ordinary citizens would hold leaders accountable at the ballot box.
“We are entering a phase where every vote must be a weapon against hunger, insecurity, and exploitation,” the NLC said.
The union added that it would not forget “promises not kept, the brutalisation of peaceful protesters, and the deliberate impoverishment of workers under the guise of policy hard choices.”
