NewsNigeriaPoliticsNigeria Braces for Strike as Labour Talks with Government Collapse

Nigeria faces disruption today as the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, commence a nationwide strike after negotiations with the government deadlocked.

The National Assembly’s attempt to mediate the dispute on Sunday night proved unsuccessful.

The NLC and TUC, the umbrella body for Nigerian workers and trade unions, called for the strike to protest rising electricity prices and a decline in living standards. Union leaders demanded a reversal of the recent electricity tariff price hike and an increase in the minimum wage to reflect inflation.

The government, however, has maintained that its current economic policies are necessary. Officials argued that raising the minimum wage beyond N60,000 would put a strain on businesses and could lead to job losses.

Talks between the labour unions and government representatives broke down last week, prompting the National Assembly to intervene.

The president of the NLC, Joe Ajaero and his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo, led members of their national executives to the meeting, which was presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen.

Despite efforts by lawmakers to find a compromise with Akpabio urging the unions to shelve the strike “in the interest of the Nigerian economy and in the interest of all Nigerians”, the two sides failed to reach an agreement.

The NLC remains firm in its demands and has vowed to continue the strike until the government concedes. “We‘re fighting for a living and not starvation wage for workers,” the NLC said.

The strike is expected to cause significant disruptions across various sectors, including education, aviation, transportation, and healthcare. Essential services like electricity may also be affected.

The government has urged Nigerians to be patient and understanding, but tensions are likely to rise as the strike continues.