There are indications that Nigeria workers might embark on a nationwide strike as negotiations between the Federal Government and organised labour did not yield expected results. The meeting held on Thursday, 23rd October 2026, ended in a deadlock with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) placed their affiliates and state councils on red alert for possible industrial action, unless government has a re-think
The unions then, gave the Federal Government until Tuesday, October 27, to address their outstanding demands, warning that failure to achieve meaningful progress could trigger further escalation of the dispute.
The meeting which held at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja, was aimed to resolve disagreements over petrol prices, minimum wage negotiations, tax relief and outstanding agreements affecting public-sector and health workers.
After the meeting, Organised Labour issued a joint statement signed by the Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Benson Upah, and the TUC Secretary General, Comrade Nuhu Toro, which accused government representatives of not having the necessary authority to negotiate substantive solutions.
“Regrettably, the government delegation came unprepared and without the necessary mandates to engage substantively on these issues. No concrete commitments were secured, and the outstanding issues remain unresolved,” the unions said.
According to the statement, the Minister of Labour requested an adjournment until October 27 to enable the government to assemble relevant ministers and heads of departments and agencies with the authority to make decisions on the workers’ demands.
The unions, however, warned that the postponement must not become another avenue for delaying negotiations without tangible results.
“NLC and TUC remain committed to dialogue, but we will not accept indefinite delay,” the statement declared.
Organised labour said it would report the outcome of Thursday’s meeting to its relevant organs for further deliberations, adding that the next meeting would determine its subsequent course of action.
The labour centres also directed their affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to remain on alert and begin mobilising for possible nationwide industrial action.
They called on workers and the general public to remain calm, assuring them that the unions would continue to pursue their demands through legitimate means.
Five Major Demands
At the centre of the dispute are five major demands, which organised labour says are necessary to address the worsening economic hardship confronting Nigerian workers.
The unions are demanding a reduction in petrol prices to the levels prevailing when the current national minimum wage was signed into law in 2024, arguing that rising fuel costs have significantly eroded workers’ purchasing power.
They are also seeking the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage and the implementation of previously agreed tax relief measures aimed at easing the financial burden on workers.
Other demands include the implementation of the February 5, 2026, Terms of Settlement reached with the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (JOHESU), as well as the resolution of outstanding demands by the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council (JPSNC) concerning peculiar allowances, wage awards and hazard allowances.
Organised labour has insisted that the Federal Government must honour existing agreements and take concrete steps to improve workers’ welfare amid rising living costs.
Strike Threat Intensifies
Thursday’s deadlock followed an earlier ultimatum issued by the NLC on October 9, giving the Federal Government two weeks to address workers’ grievances.
The ultimatum covered demands for lower petrol prices, the commencement of minimum wage negotiations, implementation of tax relief measures and outstanding agreements with health and public-sector workers.
The NLC had argued that the current minimum wage had lost substantial purchasing power due to the depreciation of the naira and rising prices of essential goods and services.
With negotiations adjourned until Tuesday, October 27, the possibility of industrial action will largely depend on whether the government presents concrete proposals that would address the unions’ demands.
