Marking May Day 2025, Nigerian labour unions have called for a review of the N70,000 minimum wage, saying inflation and harsh economic policies have rendered workers’ earnings meaningless across the country.
- NLC and TUC leaders say workers are worse off under the Tinubu administration despite a new wage structure.
- Labour leaders cite subsidy removal, naira devaluation, and increased taxes as factors behind hyperinflation.
- State labour chiefs in Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Niger insist the current minimum wage is no longer sustainable.
- Senate President Akpabio promises legislative support, but workers remain sceptical of government action.
- Workers' Day theme: “Reclaiming a Civic Space Amid Economic Hardship.”
Union leaders across states describe Nigerian workers as visibly burdened by poverty and stress. From skipped meals to unpayable medical bills, their testimonies reveal deep economic pain beneath official figures and political promises.
Will the federal government heed the call for a real living wage, or will more protests follow unmet promises? With wage talks ongoing, Nigerians are watching to see if action replaces
