Ajaero Faults Tinubu Over Workers’ Hardship

The NLC president says rising living costs, weakened wages and poor government engagement have left Nigerian workers struggling despite promises of economic prosperity.

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over rising living costs and its handling of worker’s welfare, saying the government’s promised economic prosperity has yet to improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

Speaking on the Mic On Podcast, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, Ajaero accused the federal government of failing to maintain meaningful dialogue with organised labour despite repeated attempts to address worker’s concerns.

His comments come days after President Tinubu declared in his October 1 Independence Day address that Nigeria had moved beyond emergency economic reforms into a new period focused on shared prosperity.

Why Ajaero Says Workers Are Still Struggling

According to Ajaero, increasing petrol prices, transportation costs, food prices and accommodation expenses have significantly weakened the purchasing power of Nigerian workers.

He argued that the ₦70,000 minimum wage has become increasingly inadequate as households struggle to meet their basic needs.

“Prosperity is not (currently) with the Nigerian worker,” Ajaero said.

The labour leader also challenged the government’s emphasis on declining inflation, explaining that a reduction in the rate of inflation does not automatically mean prices are falling.

He maintained that workers continue to pay significantly more for essential goods and services, even when official economic indicators suggest improving conditions.

NLC Accuses Government of Poor Engagement

Beyond economic hardship, Ajaero alleged that the Tinubu administration had failed to respond adequately to repeated requests for dialogue with organised labour.

According to him, the NLC wrote several letters to the president between May and December 2025 without receiving a response.

He said the situation eventually led the congress to announce a nationwide protest scheduled for December 17, 2025.

Following the announcement, some state governors intervened, creating an opportunity for discussions between labour representatives and government officials.

However, Ajaero maintained that engagement remained limited and several unresolved issues continued to affect workers.

Minimum Wage and Fuel Prices Raise Concerns

Ajaero also questioned the effectiveness of measures introduced to cushion the economic impact of petrol subsidy removal.

He explained that organised labour accepted the ₦70,000 minimum wage partly because of government commitments involving compressed natural gas (CNG) transportation, vehicle conversion programmes and other relief initiatives.

However, he argued that these interventions had not delivered sufficient relief to workers.

He further called for stronger domestic refining arrangements and improved access to locally produced crude oil, arguing that Nigeria’s oil resources should help protect citizens from high petrol prices.

The NLC president also proposed linking future minimum wage reviews to inflation and the cost of living to prevent further erosion of worker’s purchasing power.

Tinubu Defends Economic Reforms

In his October 1 Independence Day address, President Tinubu presented a more optimistic assessment of Nigeria’s economic outlook.

The president said economic growth, improved foreign reserves, falling inflation and progress in non-oil exports demonstrated that his administration’s reforms were beginning to produce results.

He acknowledged that many families continued to face financial difficulties but insisted that the government’s next priority was to reduce living costs, expand employment opportunities and make economic growth more inclusive.

The contrasting positions highlight an important challenge for the administration: translating reported improvements in economic indicators into measurable relief for households.

Meanwhile, concerns over worker’s welfare remain unresolved, with the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council warning that failure to address outstanding demands following its three-day warning strike could lead to further industrial action.

For Nigerian workers, the central question remains whether the government’s economic recovery plans will translate into affordable living costs, stronger wages and improved working conditions.