By Chinedu Echianu
Nigerian workers marked the International Workers’ Day 2026, raising concerns over insecurity, inflation, and declining real wages across the country.
At Eagle Square, workers used the annual celebration to draw attention to a widening gap between government assurances and everyday economic realities.
Journalists and civil servants alike said rising costs and economic pressure are making daily life increasingly difficult.
A Journalist Chidinma Ibekwe said the country is increasingly burdened by fear and hardship.
“Insecurity has disrupted daily life, while rising hunger continues to deepen hardship across households,” she said.
Labour leaders echoed these concerns, warning that insecurity has reached alarming levels nationwide.
In a joint address reported by Democracy Radio Correspondent Chinedu Echianu, Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria President Festus Osifo described the security situation as dire, citing killings, abductions, and widespread displacement.
They disclosed that nearly 2,000 people were killed in the first quarter of the year, with millions displaced into internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
They cautioned that the situation is undermining productivity and poses a serious threat to the country’s economic stability.
Beyond insecurity, workers also highlighted the impact of inflation on wages. Joe Amedu, representing the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, said salaries have been severely eroded, leaving many workers unable to meet basic needs.
He said transportation costs have become unbearable for many workers, forcing some to abandon their vehicles due to rising fuel prices.
According to him, current earnings no longer reflect economic realities, reinforcing labour leaders’ position that Nigeria’s inflation crisis is structural rather than demand-driven.
Labour leaders further argued that official economic indicators do not reflect the lived realities of Nigerians, noting that while projections point to moderate growth, poverty continues to deepen with millions struggling to survive.
“The economy must serve the people, or it has failed,” they declared, warning that current policies risk widening inequality and excluding the majority.
Responding to the concerns, President Bola Tinubu acknowledged that insecurity and poverty remain major national challenges.
Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, the President said these issues directly undermine decent work and economic stability.
He outlined government interventions, including the recruitment of 45,000 youths under the Community Protection Guards Initiative and the expansion of cash transfer programmes to 15 million households.
He also cited major infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline as key drivers of job creation, alongside reforms including the new national minimum wage and pension adjustments.
Also, The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Dingyadi, reaffirmed government commitment to workers’ welfare during the 2026 May Day celebration in Abuja, pledging fair wages and decent work conditions across the country.
Despite these measures, labour leaders insisted that more decisive action is required.
They called for a shift toward a production-driven economy focused on local industries, agriculture, and sustainable job creation, warning against what they described as “growth without jobs” and “reform without relief.”
On security, they urged the government to intensify efforts, stressing that workers’ safety remains a fundamental requirement for productivity.
The theme of the 2026 Workers’ Day was: “Insecurity, Poverty: Bane of Decent Work.”
