In Lagos, at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Labour Writers Association of Nigeria, NLC president Joe Ajaero warned that a collapse of the labour movement would hurt all Nigerians, not just workers.
Ajaero said the strength of organised labour matters beyond negotiating wages. He explained that the movement has historically defended ordinary Nigerians, challenged unpopular government policies and protected civic space, and that its weakening would leave workers and other vulnerable groups with fewer platforms to express grievances.
“If the labour movement collapses today, all of us will become victims,” Ajaero declared.
He argued that the labour movement cannot solve every problem without the participation and support of the people. “It is not enough to complain about the cost of fuel, transportation, food or other necessities and then ask where the NLC is,” he said. “The labour movement cannot solve every problem without the participation and support of the people.”
Ajaero drew on historical examples to underline his point. He recalled his student activism in 1988 against the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida and noted how the NLC, civil society organisations and other groups had defended Nigerians’ interests during periods of difficulty. He also cited the 1929 Aba Women’s protest, where women mobilised against colonial taxation, as evidence that ordinary people can organise to challenge unjust policies.
He concluded that the current economic challenges – rising taxes and a high cost of living – require collective action. “If we collectively demand affordable transportation, lower living costs and policies that improve the economy, the benefits will extend beyond organised labour,” Ajaero said, urging Nigerians to protect the labour movement as a shared concern for the nation’s wellbeing.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
