NLC Calls for National Unity, Collective Action as Economic Hardship Deepens
By Darasimi Kikelomo
Abuja, Nigeria — The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged Nigerian workers and citizens to unite and take collective action in response to worsening economic conditions, warning that national recovery will remain elusive without organised, people-driven mobilisation.
The labour centre, in a statement addressed to workers and the general public, stated that Nigeria finds itself at a critical juncture, where millions of households are grappling with rising living costs, shrinking incomes, and policy decisions that continue to compound hardship across the country.
The NLC noted that economic pressures, policy-induced suffering, and structural inequalities have pushed many Nigerians to the brink, creating what it described as an environment of deprivation and growing insecurity. According to the Congress, these challenges demand more than hope or endurance, requiring deliberate and coordinated action by citizens.
“Hope alone is not a strategy,” the NLC stated, stressing that meaningful change can only be achieved through unity and organised engagement by workers and communities nationwide.
The labour body highlighted that Nigerian workers across critical sectors, including agriculture, education, healthcare, trade, and construction, remain the backbone of the economy and possess the numerical strength needed to influence national outcomes if properly mobilised.
It warned against attempts to fragment the population along ethnic, religious, or regional lines, describing such divisions as tools that weaken collective bargaining power and entrench exploitation. The Congress instead called for a broad-based alliance of citizens committed to social justice, equity, and the protection of the common good.
On governance and public policy, the NLC reiterated its demand for fairness and inclusion, particularly in fiscal matters. It insisted that tax reforms and other economic policies imposed without meaningful consultation with workers lack legitimacy and risk worsening inequality. The Congress criticised what it termed “poorly conceived” and “politically manipulated” fiscal proposals, urging authorities to prioritise transparent, inclusive, and people-centered legislation.
The NLC also renewed its call for social justice reforms that guarantee access to quality healthcare, education, and dignified living conditions, while strengthening labour protections and ensuring a secure environment for citizens to work and live without fear.
Reaffirming its role as a defender of workers’ rights, the Congress said its greatest strength lies in solidarity, noting that unity remains the most effective counterweight to oppression and economic exploitation.
“As the nation looks ahead, only collective action can deliver the future Nigerians desire,” the NLC said, adding that sustainable change must be built from within through organised civic engagement rather than outsourced to political promises.
The Congress urged workers and communities across the country to recommit to grassroots organising and national solidarity as the foundation for building a more just, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria.
