Tinubu declares national emergencies on insecurity, food

He added that 10,000 Agro-Rangers deployed by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps across 19 states are helping to secure farmers and agricultural investments from banditry.

On workers’ welfare, Tinubu said the administration has implemented a new national minimum wage, cleared pension arrears, and reintroduced gratuity payments effective January 2026.

He also revealed that over 800,000 informal sector workers have been enrolled in the micro pension scheme, while small businesses are benefiting from a N200 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) support fund.

The president pleaded with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to exercise restraint in industrial disputes.

He asked them to adopt  dialogue as the preferred mechanism for resolving grievances.

“Strike should be the last resort, not the first,” he said, and called for sustained collaboration between government and labour unions to achieve lasting reforms.

Tinubu commended the efforts and sacrifices of security personnel, linking improved safety directly to job creation and economic growth, and acknowledging those who have paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment, the President expressed confidence that Nigeria will overcome its current challenges, promising a future where decent work becomes a reality for all citizens.

“To you, our dear workers, your welfare remains a priority. We are committed to improving working conditions, promoting fair wages, and ensuring that every Nigerian worker enjoys dignity, safety and equal opportunity in the workplace,” he said.

In a separate message, Labour and Employment Minister,  Muhammad Dingyadi,  described Nigerian workers as the backbone of this nation.

He said May Day is not only a commemoration of workers’ struggles and achievements, but also “a reminder of the challenges that still confront us.”

Dingyadi acknowledged the rising cost of living and insecurity facing Nigerians but said  the Federal Government remained committed to wage reforms and job creation.

“The recently implemented minimum wage is not the end of our journey, but a step toward ensuring that every worker earns a living wage that reflects dignity and fairness,” he said.

The minister added that government was working with states and labour unions to ensure full compliance.

NLC,TUC say Nigeria ‘at war’

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) demanded urgent government action in tackling insecurity and poverty in the country.

“This year’s theme speaks directly to the harsh realities confronting workers. There exists a direct and undeniable relationship between insecurity, poverty, and the collapse of decent work outcomes,” NLC President Joe Ajaero and TUC President Festus Osifo,said in the statement.

They added: “We must confront an uncomfortable truth. Our nation is at war, even if we have refused to call it by its name.”

According to them, nearly 2,000 Nigerians were killed in the first quarter of 2026 alone, with millions displaced and livelihoods destroyed.

“A nation cannot function, and an economy cannot grow, when its people live under constant threat,” they said.

The labour leaders warned that workers might be forced to stay home if insecurity persists.

On the economy, labour dismissed official figures as disconnected from reality, arguing that rising gross domestic product (GDP) is yet  to translate into improved living conditions.

“The economy must serve the people, or it has failed. By that measure, we must speak plainly; the state of our economy remains deeply troubling. It is not getting better. It is getting worse,” the labour leaders declared.

They put Nigeria’s poverty rate at about 65 per cent, describing the country as “the poverty capital of the world,” and criticised policies they said favoured a privileged few.

“Perhaps, it is working for the ultra-few 1% and not the 99% majority,” they added.

On workers’ welfare, the unions accused some state governments and private employers of failing to fully implement the 2024 minimum wage, forcing some workers to mark May Day in protest rather than celebration.

They announced plans to begin negotiations for a new minimum wage by July 2026 and demanded immediate measures to cushion economic hardship.

“We demand a living wage, not a minimum wage,” the labour leaders said.

 N1m minimum wage will mean nothing wthout fixing Naira value – Osifo

As Nigerian workers join their counterparts around the world to mark this year’s Workers’ Day, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, has stressed the need for the Federal Government to ensure that the naira is properly valued.

Osifo argued that the Nigerian currency is currently undervalued, adding that discussions on increasing the minimum wage should go hand in hand with efforts to fix the value of the naira.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Osifo said that only when both issues are addressed simultaneously will they have a meaningful impact on the purchasing power of Nigerian workers.

According to him, even an increase of the minimum wage to ₦1 million will not have much impact, if the naira value is not fixed.

“It is a double edge approach, even as we are fixing the value of the naira, we could also be having conversations around the minimum wage. It’s kind of mutually exclusive, they are not independent, you mustn’t finish one before progressing to the other.

“But what we are saying is that, if you address both of them at the same time it has a direct impact on the purchasing power of the naira because for us, it’s not just about the volume. You can come today and say that the Nigerian minimum wage is ₦1 million, but what is actually the value of that ₦1 million, can that ₦1 million purchase?

“So, if you don’t fix the fundamentals and you are just talking about minimum wage alone, it may not necessarily have the right purchasing power that it ought to have. So, what we are saying is that fix everything holistically and this can actually be done,” Osifo said.

The minimum wage for Nigerian workers is currently ₦70,000, which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in 2024 after months of negotiations with labour leaders.

However, following the recent war in Iran and its impact on the global economy, particularly the increase in oil prices, the purchasing power of workers has further been eroded.

The TUC President has lamented that despite Nigeria’s oil production, rising global oil prices have not reduced workers’ hardship. Instead, he said they have increased inflation, weakened the naira, and raised the cost of living.

He therefore called for stronger labour policies to address wage disparity and casualisation.

 Akpabio hails workers' resilience, patriotism

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his own goodwill message to Nigerian workers, commended their resilience, hard work, and patriotism despite the challenges they face in the course of their duties.

He said  the “teachers who mould our future, the farmers who feed our nation, the doctors and nurses who heal our land, the artisans, traders, civil servants, security personnel, and private sector employees whose daily toil builds Nigeria”  are the true heroes of our democracy and the engine of our economy.

The 10th National Assembly,he said, “ recognizes the challenges workers face, from rising costs of living to workplace demands.”

He assured them  that the Senate remains unwavering in its commitment to legislating for a living wage, safer workplaces, pension reforms, and policies that expand job creation and protect the dignity of labor.