By Sodiq Adelakun
Nigeria’s labour movement has delivered a blunt verdict on the country’s economic reality, warning that salary increases alone can no longer protect workers from hardship.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, said workers are more concerned about the value of their earnings than nominal wage figures, stressing that inflation has eroded purchasing power across the board.
“Even if Nigerian workers earn ₦1 million, it will not be meaningful if the naira has no value,” Ajaero said, noting that rising food and fuel costs have made it increasingly difficult for households to survive till month-end.
He said that the core issue is not wages but economic stability, insisting that what workers need is a currency that can sustain basic living standards.
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The labour leader also criticised the persistent hike in fuel prices, warning against a situation where global developments are routinely used to justify local economic pain.
“It is not ideal that events in other parts of the world automatically translate into hardship in Nigeria,” he added.
The remarks come amid mounting pressure on the Federal Government to tackle inflation, stabilise the naira, and implement policies that deliver real income value rather than symbolic wage adjustments.
