Public sector unions in Nigeria, under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), have directed all federal, state, and local government employees to begin a three-day warning strike from October 2. The strike is over the government's failure to address their demands, including reducing petrol prices, providing a wage award for workers, and commencing negotiations for a new national minimum wage ahead of 2027. The industrial action follows the council's earlier call on the federal government for measures to cushion the effects of rising living costs.
The JNPSNC, in a circular dated October 1, 2026, and signed by National Secretary Olowoyo Gbenga, stated that the strike became imperative due to worsening economic hardship affecting workers. The council said the action was intended to draw attention to the difficulties facing workers across the country. According to the circular, public servants in the federal, state, and local government services are expected to participate in the strike.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has thrown its weight behind the JNPSNC, demanding an immediate reduction in petrol prices, a nationwide wage award, and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage. The NLC warned that rising living costs have eroded workers' purchasing power, particularly due to the increase in petrol prices following the removal of the subsidy in 2023.
The NLC, in its Independence Day message, linked the worsening cost-of-living crisis to the surge in transportation costs, which drives up the prices of food, school fees, rent, and other necessities. The union argued that the Federal Government should urgently address the transmission of fuel costs to transportation and other areas of the economy.
The NLC also demanded the immediate implementation of a nationwide wage award covering workers in the federal, state, and local governments, describing it as an emergency response to declining real incomes. The union accused the government of failing to fully implement tax relief measures contained in the October 2023 Memorandum of Understanding with labour.
The NLC called for a reduction in the cost of governance, greater transparency in public spending, and increased investment in social infrastructure, such as roads, hospitals, and schools. The union also raised concerns over youth unemployment and migration, saying the government must create opportunities that would give young Nigerians reasons to remain in the country.
The strike and the NLC's demands highlight the ongoing challenges facing Nigerian workers and the need for the government to address the rising cost of living and improve economic conditions. The JNPSNC and NLC have emphasized the importance of finding solutions to these challenges, which are affecting workers and Nigerians across the country.
Key points
- The strike is over the government's failure to address rising living costs and unpaid demands.
- The NLC is demanding an immediate reduction in petrol prices, a nationwide wage award, and negotiations for a new national minimum wage.
- The strike and NLC's demands highlight the ongoing challenges facing Nigerian workers and the need for government action.
