Reporting by **The Guardian** indicates that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) used the 2026 International Workers’ Day celebrations to voice sharp criticism against the federal government’s economic policies. Leaders of the unions lamented that despite minimum wage adjustments, the actual purchasing power of workers has been eroded by 40% due to persistent inflation.
The unions are demanding a “social protection floor” that specifically targets workers in the informal sector, who make up over 90% of the country’s workforce. They argue that the current economic trajectory is leaving the most vulnerable citizens without a safety net as food prices continue to soar.
**Channels TV** reported that “protests in Lagos and Abuja were peaceful but marked by heavy rhetoric against fuel prices,” while **Daily Post** quoted NLC President Joe Ajaero saying, “Our sweat builds the nation, but our pockets remain empty while prices hit the clouds.”
**Echotitbits take:** The disconnect between government macro-indicators and the “street reality” is at an all-time high. With the 2027 elections approaching, expect the government to announce fresh palliative measures soon to quell this rising labor discontent.
Source: The Sun – https://thesun.ng/may-day-tinubu-vows-to-tackle-insecurity-poverty-threatening-workers/, May 1, 2026
Photo credit: The Sun
