The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for an urgent review of workers’ wages in 2026, warning that current earnings can no longer meet basic living needs amid rising inflation and worsening economic hardship across the country.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the call on Wednesday in a New Year message to workers and Nigerians, insisting that organised labour would intensify engagement with the Federal Government to ensure the implementation of a living wage.
Ajaero said the Federal Government had pledged to engage more meaningfully with organised labour, noting that the Congress would participate in such discussions “deeply and patriotically,” but stressed that wages must reflect the prevailing cost of living.
“Our mobilisation in 2026 will be both strategic and tactful for the benefit of the Nigerian nation. Real hope for Nigerians is possible only when burdens are lifted or minimised or are equitably shared, when trust is strengthened, and hopes and dreams fulfilled and not betrayed,” he said.
Citing escalating inflation and widespread suffering, the labour leader demanded an immediate wage review, arguing that workers’ incomes must go beyond survival.
“Given the escalating inflation and suffering, we demand an urgent wage review as a worker’s income must guarantee life, not mere survival, in furtherance of Mr President’s promise to pay living wages. We shall pursue this with every legitimate means at our disposal,” Ajaero added.
On security, the NLC president urged the government to sustain and strengthen ongoing efforts nationwide, describing the protection of lives and property as a core responsibility of the state.
“Security remains a fundamental right, and the primary duty of any state is to guarantee it and the safety of property. We acknowledge recent successes and will continue to urge the state to build on them, as the people deserve peace and security wherever they live. The government should not look back,” he said.
Ajaero also called on workers to remain vigilant and united in the new year, pledging that the Congress would continue to mobilise and hold all tiers of government accountable for policies that affect living standards.
“As we step into 2026, our primary message to workers and the citizenry is to be vigilant and patriotic. We must organise, mobilise, and hold every tier of government accountable. We will support only governments and political actors who demonstrate, through clear pro-people plans and actionable commitments, a genuine desire to uplift the masses,” he said.
He warned that the NLC would reject politicians and policies that worsen poverty and undermine workers’ welfare.
“We reject outright those mercantilistic politicians whose stock-in-trade are empty promises, divisive rhetoric, and policies that decimate our living standards for the benefit of a parasitic few,” Ajaero stated.
Nigeria last reviewed its national minimum wage in July 2024, increasing it from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000 per month following negotiations with labour unions and a series of industrial actions. The increase was formalised through the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024, in response to persistent inflation and rising living costs.
The 2024 adjustment followed an earlier review in 2019, when the minimum wage was raised from ₦18,000 to ₦30,000 after several years without revision.
