A Day of Protest, Not Celebration
May 1st is usually a day of celebration and recognition for workers around the world. But in Nigeria this year, the mood was far from jubilant.
Instead of music, parades, and national pride, there was tension, tears, and a powerful call to action.
Nigerian workers, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), used May Day 2025 not to celebrate but to mourn their condition and demand urgent reform.
At the heart of the protest was one unifying message: “We are tired of suffering. We want a living wage. We deserve dignity.”
For many workers across Nigeria, life has become an unending struggle of survival in a system that seems to ignore their voices and humanity.
The Harsh Reality: Workers Drowning in Hardship
For years, Nigerian workers have battled economic instability. But the current climate, worsened by inflation, poor policy decisions, and an uncaring political class, has pushed many into extreme poverty. What used to be enough to feed a family now barely covers transportation to work.
Living Wage
The demand for a living wage isn’t just a slogan it’s a cry from millions whose daily earnings can’t meet even the most basic needs. From civil servants to factory workers, and from teachers to nurses, the story is the same: “We work, but we cannot live.”
Many families now skip meals, delay medical care, and pull their children out of school simply because they can’t afford it anymore. The rising cost of transportation, food, rent, and electricity has turned daily life into a nightmare.
NLC’s May Day Declaration: “Workers Are Being Dehumanized”
In his emotional address on Workers’ Day, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Comrade Joe Ajaero didn’t mince words. He declared that Nigerian workers are not just underpaid they are being dehumanized.
“We are not just poor; we are in pain. We are not just unheard; we are being stripped of our dignity,” he said.
He highlighted how workers across sectors are victims of unjust policies, wage theft, job losses, and mass retrenchments.
According to him, many state governments still refuse to implement the N30,000 minimum wage, despite a binding law passed years ago.
But even that wage, he noted, is no longer sustainable. The NLC is now calling for a new, realistic minimum wage that reflects the current cost of living.
Transitioning Into Poverty: How Bad Policies Fuel Hardship
The NLC did not shy away from pointing fingers at government policies that have directly impacted workers. The removal of fuel subsidies and floating of the naira, while aimed at economic reform, have had unintended consequences.
Economic Reforms Without Safety Nets
These policies were rolled out without any social safety nets to protect the most vulnerable. Prices of goods doubled. Transport fares soared. And yet, salaries remained the same or in some cases, were delayed or unpaid.
The result? Nigeria’s working class has been thrown into a new wave of suffering, one that threatens to break the backbone of the country’s economy: its workforce.
Workers as Victims of Neoliberalism
The NLC also called out international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, whose economic models, the union said, are imposed on Nigeria without regard for the country’s specific realities.
Ajaero warned that these foreign-driven models promote policies that prioritize profit over people, leading to massive job cuts, privatization of essential services, and erosion of worker rights.
A Nation Divided: Elites vs. Workers
There’s growing concern among Nigerians that the country is being split into two: the political elite and the suffering majority.
While lawmakers earn millions in salaries and allowances, most civil servants take home less than the price of a senator’s wristwatch.
The NLC accused the ruling class of living in luxury while workers groan. They decried the lack of empathy from leaders who “refuse to feel the pain of the people.”
Workers Speak: “We Can’t Afford to Live”
During the May Day event, several workers shared their stories. One school teacher from Kano said she earns N28,000 a month, yet her monthly transportation and food expenses exceed N50,000.
A nurse from Lagos broke down in tears, revealing how she lost her husband because they couldn’t afford proper healthcare.
“We are not lazy,” one worker said. “We just want to live. We just want justice.”
These testimonies cut deep, revealing the human cost of economic policies that are detached from reality.
Demands from Labour: A New Social Contract
The NLC made a clear set of demands:
A Living Wage: A new wage benchmark that aligns with inflation and cost of living.
Enforcement of Labour Laws: Government must compel all employers, both public and private, to comply with the national minimum wage law.
Social Protection: Access to affordable housing, healthcare, transportation, and education.
Workers’ Representation: Inclusion in decision-making processes affecting the economy and labor policies.
The union also warned of possible nationwide strikes if these demands are not met promptly.
A Message to the Government: Workers Will No Longer Be Silent
In closing his speech, Ajaero emphasized that Nigerian workers are no longer willing to remain silent. They will mobilize, organize, and resist.
“We will not beg for our rights. We will demand them, loudly and legally. The time of docile labour is over.”
The NLC urged the government to act swiftly, warning that further delay would not only worsen the economic crisis but could also spark unrest.
Unity in the Labour Movement: Solidarity Across Unions
Despite efforts to divide them, Nigerian unions stood united on May Day. The Trade Union Congress (TUC), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and other affiliate bodies joined hands with the NLC in one strong voice.
This solidarity was seen as a turning point proof that when workers unite, they are powerful. The message was clear: Nigeria’s labour force is ready to fight for change.
Hope in Action: What Can Be Done?
The NLC proposed a set of proactive steps both government and private employers can take immediately:
Begin a transparent review of the minimum wage with stakeholder input
Offer tax relief and food subsidies to low-income earners
Regulate and subsidize transportation to ease commuter hardship
Invest in worker retraining and upskilling programs
Develop a worker-centered national economic recovery plan
These are not just demands they are solutions that can stabilize the economy and improve livelihoods.
The Bigger Picture: Dignity in Labour
May Day is more than a day of protest. It’s a reminder that work should be rewarded with dignity, not despair.
Every Nigerian worker deserves to go to bed knowing that tomorrow will be better not worse.
A nation cannot thrive when its workers are hungry, overworked, and undervalued. The time for speeches is over. What Nigeria needs now is real action.
We All Have a Role to Play
Whether you are a policymaker, employer, civil society leader, or citizen now is the time to support the call for economic justice.
Share this story. Join peaceful labour actions. Hold your representatives accountable.
Nigerian workers are not asking for luxury. They’re asking for fairness, dignity, and a chance to live.
And they deserve that much at the very least.
Written by a Contributor | May 1, 2025 | NIGPOST.com.ng
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