By Cross Udo, Abuja
The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress has resolved to compel the Federal Government to review wages in 2026, given the country’s inflationary trend.
President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, gave this indication on Wednesday as part of his New Year message to Nigerians, workers inclusive.
Ajaero said recent developments in the country call for a re-strategising by labour, especially in 2026.
He said labour is now poised to hold governments at all tiers more accountable, while aligning with only politicians who show pro-people intent and a genuine desire to uplift the suffering masses from poverty.
The NLC President criticised the Federal Government for failing to foster national cohesion through equitable wealth redistribution and social justice.
According to Ajaero, “On our part, our duty is crystal clear: we must organise, mobilise, and hold every tier of government accountable. We will work with and support only those governments and political actors who demonstrate, through clear, pro-people plans and actionable commitments, a genuine desire to uplift the masses from poverty and oppression.”
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The NLC President said they would reject outright those mercantilistic politicians whose stock-in-trade is empty promises, divisive rhetoric, and policies that decimate our living standards for the benefit of a parasitic few.
He said as the labour movement stands on the threshold of 2026, it extends strong solidarity and firm fraternal greetings to every toiling hand and every citizen burdened by the weight of our current socioeconomic system.
He described the outgoing year as the most challenging, one that exposed the vulnerabilities of the working class.
“They did little to dim our focus or resolve in our strive for national cohesion through equitable redistribution of wealth and social justice.
“We enter this new year not with naive hope, but with a fortified resolve, strengthened by struggle and clarity. The promises of a more faithful and meaningful engagement from the Federal Government, as pledged by the President, His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu—secured through our relentless pressure and collective voice—have opened a potential vista for dialogue. We acknowledge this platform and will engage deeply, consciously, and patriotically.
“In light of this, our primary message to workers and indeed the citizenry, as we step into 2026, is to be vigilant and patriotic.
“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, equitably shared, when trust is strengthened, and when hopes and dreams are fulfilled, not betrayed.
“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.”
*Congratulates workers for surviving hardship in 2025
While acknowledging recent feats by the Tinubu administration in addressing insecurity, Ajaero stressed that security remains a fundamental right, and the primary duty of any state is to guarantee it and the safety of property.
He said, “We acknowledge recent successes. We will continue to urge the state to build on the ongoing successes, as the people are deserving of peace and security wherever they live. The government should not look back.
“Comrades, the light we kindle is the light of collective action. The hope we embody is the hope of organised labour. The promise of 2026 is our unwavering struggle. Our collective willingness to refuse to be used to divide ourselves or the country by the ruling elite, who seek to put a sword in our midst. We are the same people—workers and the masses—a people united by oppression and fear.
“Let us therefore move forward, more united, more organised, and more resolved than ever before. Let us make 2026 a year where the power of the working class and the oppressed becomes the most potent glue that holds us together. We have the key to national transformation and reconciliation.
“Our power continues to be in our numbers, and our victory in our solidarity. We salute you all for surviving the year 2025, and urge you to embrace the year 2026 with hope and strength despite the anticipated challenges.”
