“If Labour Collapses, We All Become Victims”: NLC Warns Nigerians

The Nigeria Labour Congress has warned that the consequences of a weakened labour movement would extend far beyond factories and government offices, leaving millions of Nigerians without a strong collective voice to challenge policies affecting their economic survival, rights and welfare.

The warning was delivered by its President, Joe Ajaero, in Lagos while speaking at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Labour Writers Association of Nigeria, themed “Workers at the Centre of Nigeria’s Political Transition,” ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE WARNING

Ajaero was unequivocal about the stakes.”If the labour movement collapses today, all of us will become victims,” he declared.

He said the labour movement remains one of the important voices defending the interests of ordinary Nigerians, adding that its collapse would leave workers and other vulnerable groups with fewer platforms through which to express their grievances.

“If that voice becomes weak, workers and other vulnerable groups will have fewer platforms through which to express their grievances,” he said.

THE CHALLENGE TO NIGERIANS

Ajaero questioned the attitude of Nigerians who complain about the rising cost of living but expect the NLC to take responsibility for confronting every challenge without corresponding public support.

“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”.

He argued that the struggle for affordable living conditions should not be left to organised labour alone because the consequences of economic hardship are not restricted to salary earners.

“If we collectively demand affordable transportation, lower living costs and policies that improve the economy, the benefits will extend beyond organised labour,” he stated.

THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Ajaero recalled the historical contributions of organised labour, students and civil society organisations to the struggle for democratic rights and the defence of civic freedoms.

He referred to his experience as a student in 1988, when he participated in student activism and engagements with the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida.

He also drew attention to the 1929 Aba Women’s protest, in which women mobilised against taxation imposed by the colonial authorities.

“The Aba Women’s protest of 1929 is an important historical example. The women mobilised against taxation imposed on them by the colonial authorities. Their protest demonstrated that ordinary people can organise themselves to challenge policies they consider unjust,” he said.

WHY IT MATTERS

Ajaero’s message is a call for solidarity.

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The labour movement is not just about wages and working conditions. It is about the broader struggle for economic justice and the defence of the vulnerable.

When the NLC speaks, it speaks for the trader in the market, the farmer in the village, and the passenger on the bus—not just the civil servant at the desk.

But the NLC cannot do it alone. It needs the support of the people it fights for. Ajaero’s warning is a reminder that the struggle for a better Nigeria is a collective one. ValidViewNetwork reports.