Insecurity remains a widespread threat across Nigeria, undermining livelihoods and productivity. Workers face daily dangers such as kidnapping, violence, and displacement, making workplaces increasingly unsafe. This year's May Day celebration emphasized that unless these issues are urgently addressed, the goal of decent work will remain a mirage, writes Gloria Nwafor.
Labour Leaders Sound Alarm
The usual optimism surrounding International Workers' Day has given way to renewed anxiety, as organized labour raises concerns about the worsening conditions faced by Nigerian workers. Central to the worry is a clear warning: the ongoing lack of decent work is no longer merely an economic problem but a human rights crisis. Leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) contend that insecurity and poverty are now deeply rooted obstacles to decent work, depriving millions of Nigerians of access to jobs that are fairly paid, safe, secure, and dignified. They stressed that many vulnerable citizens are pushed into the labor market too early, exposing them to exploitation and poor working conditions.
May Day Theme Highlights Challenges
This year's May Day, with the theme 'Insecurity and Poverty: The Bane of Decent Work,' highlights the severe challenges workers nationwide face. NLC President Joe Ajaero and TUC counterpart Festus Osifo noted that Nigeria is trapped in a dangerous cycle in which insecurity worsens poverty, which in turn further amplifies insecurity, undermining opportunities for decent work and national progress. In their joint May Day speech, they warned that economic growth without corresponding job creation is a hollow victory.
"There is a direct and undeniable relationship between insecurity, poverty, and the collapse of decent work outcomes: as insecurity and poverty rise, the possibility of decent work diminishes, and as they fall, the prospects for dignity at work are restored," they said. Where growth fails to generate quality employment, informality thrives, labor protections weaken, and societies become more vulnerable to economic and social shocks. The result is a steady deterioration in workers' quality of life and a weakening of institutions meant to safeguard them.
Grim Indicators and Global Pressures
The labor movement points to grim indicators: rising job losses, factory closures, soaring inflation, and declining purchasing power. Compounding these domestic challenges are global pressures, including geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have further strained livelihoods. For many workers, survival has become a daily struggle marked by insecurity, exploitation, and institutional neglect.
UN Sustainable Development Goals at Risk
Central to their argument is the framework of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 8, which emphasizes inclusive growth, productive employment, and decent work for all. Labor leaders insist that any force undermining decent work, especially insecurity and poverty, directly threatens national progress. With Nigeria's population exceeding 200 million and poverty levels estimated at 65 percent, the situation has reached a critical threshold. The four pillars of decent work—employment creation, rights at work, social protection, and social dialogue—cannot thrive in an environment defined by fear and deprivation.
Call for Prioritizing Security
The two labor leaders urged the government not to place the horse before the cart by prioritizing security above all else, recognizing that once the foundation is strong, every other benefit of nationhood would follow. According to them, when governance frameworks are weakened and democratic institutions are compromised, the consequences are far-reaching.
Political Demands Ahead of Elections
As general elections approach, organized labor said it would use its charter of demands as a tool, warning that any candidate or party that refuses to commit to workers' rights, security, free education, and public healthcare will not receive its support. The unions demand urgent, decisive policy responses, including strengthening national security, expanding social protection programs, and implementing active labor market policies to prevent vulnerable households from slipping deeper into hardship. Without such interventions, they caution, the country risks further socio-economic decline.
Workers May Rethink Safety
In a stark warning, labor leaders say continued insecurity could force workers to reconsider whether they can safely commute and perform their duties. Such a development would have far-reaching consequences for productivity and national stability. Salmon Oladiti of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers urged the Federal Government to reinforce the country's security architecture and improve the Human Development Index. He argued that a secure workforce is not only more productive but also essential for national prosperity.
Across labor circles, the message is consistent: without a deliberate shift in policy priorities that places security, job creation, and workers' welfare at the center, Nigeria's aspiration to join the ranks of stable and prosperous nations may remain elusive. As the political season approaches, organized labor has drawn a line in the sand, vowing to withhold support from any candidate or party unwilling to commit to workers' rights, security, education, and healthcare. The organized labor declared that the time for rhetoric has passed, insisting that what is required now is bold, sustained action to break the vicious cycle of insecurity and poverty and restore dignity to the work arena.
