Oyindamola Ogunbowale
The Nigeria Labour Congress has issued a fresh ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding lower petrol prices, new minimum wage negotiations and relief for workers facing rising living costs.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the Federal Government two weeks to address its demands on petrol prices and workers’ earnings, warning that failure to act could lead to further industrial action.
The ultimatum, which takes effect on Friday, October 9, follows a joint meeting of the union’s National Executive Council and Central Working Committee in Abuja.
The deadline places the government under pressure to respond by approximately October 23. At the centre of the dispute is the growing gap between workers’ wages and the cost of meeting basic household needs.
The congress maintains that the current national minimum wage has lost much of its purchasing power amid the depreciation of the naira and rising costs of food, transport, housing, healthcare and education.
The union is asking the government to begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage before the end of October.
It has also called for petrol prices to be reduced to the levels that prevailed when the current minimum wage legislation was signed into law in July 2024.
According to the labour body, expensive petrol has contributed to higher transport fares and the rising cost of goods and services, placing additional pressure on workers and other Nigerians already struggling with household expenses.
Beyond fuel prices and wage negotiations, the NLC wants the government to provide immediate wage awards and tax relief to cushion the economic pressure on workers.
It is also demanding the implementation of outstanding agreements involving the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals, as well as the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council.
The congress has urged its affiliated unions and allies to remain prepared for further action should the government fail to meet its demands within the stipulated period.
The latest ultimatum comes amid a separate labour dispute in the Federal Capital Territory, where the NLC’s FCT Council commenced an indefinite strike on October 7 over unresolved concerns about teachers’ promotion and welfare.
The FCT dispute centres on a policy that makes teachers’ promotion dependent on the availability of vacancies, which the council argues has stalled career progression for eligible educators.
The union is also seeking the reconsideration of promotion examinations for eligible teachers and a review of certain redeployment and demotion decisions.
While the national ultimatum concerns the Federal Government’s handling of petrol prices, minimum wage negotiations and outstanding labour agreements, the FCT strike is directed at the territory’s administration over teachers’ welfare.
With the two week deadline now underway, attention will be on the government’s response and whether negotiations can prevent another round of industrial action.
