- Tension As FG, Labour Meeting Ends In Deadlock Ahead Of Oct 27 Deadline
- NLC, TUC Put Affiliate Unions, State Councils On Red Alert
- NEC Approves 90-Day Plan To Tackle High Cost Of Living
There is palpable tension in Nigeria as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have threatened possible nationwide industrial action after a meeting with the Federal Government ended in deadlock on workers’ demands.
The two labour unions said they would consider their next line of action if the government failed to make meaningful progress at a follow-up meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 27.
TheMatrix Newspaper reports that organised labour had issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to address its demands, including a reduction in petrol prices, renegotiation of the minimum wage and implementation of agreed tax relief measures.
In a statement issued after the meeting by its Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, the NLC expressed disappointment over what it described as the government delegation’s lack of preparedness for the negotiations.
According to the congress, labour presented its demands in good faith but received no concrete commitments from the government.
The demands include a reduction in petrol prices to 2024 levels, renegotiation of the national minimum wage, implementation of agreed tax relief measures and resolution of outstanding issues involving the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).
The congress also listed demands by the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council concerning peculiar allowances, wage awards and hazard allowances.
The NLC alleged that the government delegation lacked the necessary authority to engage substantively on the issues.
“The meeting between the Federal Government and organised labour, convened at the Ministry of Labour in Abuja on 22nd October 2026, has ended without resolution,” the statement said.
It added that the Minister of Labour requested an adjournment until October 27 to allow the government to prepare for more productive negotiations, including bringing relevant ministers and heads of departments and agencies to the meeting.
The congress said it remained committed to dialogue but would not accept indefinite delays in addressing workers’ concerns.
“We will report back to our organs, and if no meaningful progress is made on Tuesday, the relevant organs of the NLC will decide the next line of action,” it stated.
As part of preparations for possible industrial action, the NLC directed its affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to begin mobilising members nationwide.
It also urged workers and members of the public to remain calm while the two sides pursue further negotiations.
The congress called on affiliates of both the NLC and the Trade Union Congress, as well as state councils and civil society organisations, to remain alert and prepare for possible action if the government failed to address the demands.
The October 27 meeting is expected to provide another opportunity to resolve the outstanding issues and prevent an escalation of tensions between organised labour and the Federal Government.
However, the NLC’s mobilisation directive signals the possibility of a wider labour dispute if the next round of talks fails to produce meaningful progress.
Meanwhile, the National Economic Council (NEC) has approved a 90-day economic action plan aimed at easing the cost of living, improving food affordability and attracting investment across Nigeria.
The plan, proposed by the Federal Ministry of Finance, was endorsed on Thursday at the council’s 161st meeting, chaired virtually by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
According to a statement by Shettima’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the initiative focuses on five priority areas: food affordability, tax harmonisation, completion of high-impact projects, removal of investment bottlenecks and regulated household support.
The council also approved the establishment of a national dashboard to monitor projects nationwide, strengthen transparency and accountability, and track the use of proceeds from fuel subsidy removal.
Speaking at the meeting, Shettima urged state governors and relevant government institutions to ensure that the benefits of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms translate into improved living conditions for Nigerians.
He said the success of government policies should be measured by their impact on everyday life, particularly access to affordable transportation, healthcare, jobs and financial security.
“The first dividend of prosperity should be the confidence to plan a life. Our task is to make such confidence less dependent on fortune,” the vice president said.
Shettima also called for stronger cooperation between federal and state governments, warning that their separate responsibilities should not become obstacles to delivering essential services.
On transportation, he said the National Compressed Natural Gas Bus Initiative should be assessed by how much it reduces commuters’ expenses, rather than the number of vehicles deployed.
He stressed that affordability and access must guide the programme, adding that the real value of public transport lies in the journeys it makes possible.
The council consequently resolved to establish a joint financing framework between the Federal Government and state governments to accelerate the deployment of compressed natural gas and electric vehicles.
It also directed relevant authorities to engage transport unions and operators to ensure that savings from the use of the vehicles are reflected in lower fares for commuters.
