Organised labour will decide its next course of action after meeting with the Federal Government on Tuesday, October 27, over demands for lower petrol prices, wage negotiations, tax relief and other outstanding workers’ welfare issues.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have warned that nationwide industrial action remains an option if the government fails to make meaningful commitments before the unions’ extended deadline expires.
NLC Assistant Secretary-General, Chris Onyeka, said labour expected the government to present concrete proposals rather than reopen discussions on demands already submitted. He said the outcome of the meeting would determine the unions’ next steps.
The talks follow a meeting on October 22 that ended without an agreement. In a joint statement, the unions said the government delegation lacked the necessary authority to negotiate substantively and had requested more time to prepare for a productive session.
The NLC is demanding a reduction in petrol prices to levels prevailing when the N70,000 minimum wage was signed into law in 2024, immediate wage awards, tax relief and the resolution of outstanding agreements affecting public-sector workers.
Another major point of disagreement is the timing of negotiations for a new national minimum wage. While the Federal Government maintains that the current wage is due for review on June 1, 2027, the NLC wants preparations to begin immediately, including the establishment of a tripartite committee involving the government, labour and employers.
The unions also want the implementation of outstanding agreements involving health-sector workers and the resolution of issues relating to allowances and other public-service benefits. Labour argues that rising transportation, food, housing and healthcare costs have eroded the purchasing power of workers despite the 2024 minimum wage increase.
Meanwhile, the Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government to pay eligible retirees three months of outstanding fuel-subsidy palliatives, amounting to N75,000 per beneficiary.
In a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja on October 22, the association also called for improved access to pensioners’ healthcare benefits and clearer guidelines on pension harmonisation, which took effect in January 2026.
The association further urged the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate and the National Health Insurance Authority to simplify enrolment in the Pensioner Health Insurance Scheme and provide assistance for elderly, sick and physically incapacitated retirees. It also called for safeguards to ensure that verification procedures do not disrupt pension payments.
The labour meeting is expected to determine whether the government can address the unions’ demands and avert a possible nationwide industrial dispute.
