Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was notably absent from this year's International Workers' Day celebration held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan, Lagos. The event, which took place on May 1, 2026, also recorded a lower turnout compared to previous years, marking a subdued commemoration.
Deputy Governor Represents Sanwo-Olu
Deputy Governor Dr. Babafemi Hamzat represented the governor at the event, arriving at the arena around 11 a.m. to cheers from the workers present. The theme for the 2026 International Workers' Day, as set by the International Labour Organization (ILO), was 'Ensuring a Healthy Psychosocial Working Environment,' emphasizing the need to address rising workplace stress, burnout, and mental health issues while safeguarding workers' dignity.
Gig Workers Demand Recognition
The Committee of Gig Workers' Unions of Nigeria (COGWUJ) used the occasion to demand proper recognition and improved welfare for gig workers. COGWUJ is a coalition of 13 gig worker unions, including the Nigerian Union of Good Delivery App Transporters (NUFDAPPT), the Nigerian Union of Digital Personal Service Employees (NUDPSE), and the Nigerian Union of APP-Based Home Services Employees (NUAPHSE), among others. In a statement, the coalition said, 'As we celebrate this year's May Day, the fate of gig workers is nothing to write home about. We need proper recognition as workers under Nigerian Labour Law and by our big-tech employers. We need the right to social protection and a pension.'
Socialist Equality Party Weighs In
Meanwhile, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP), in political solidarity with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), extended solidarity to workers and youth in Nigeria, stating that working people in Nigeria stand at an important crossroads of history. The SEP noted that in less than eight months, working-class people would be queuing up for elections in which they have no party of their own and would be left to choose between their oppressors. The party criticized the Labour Party, which it described as largely run by right-wing party bureaucrats as a money-making commercial vehicle for rejects from the dominant pro-rich parties, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The SEP further stated that Peter Obi, who was the Labour Party's presidential candidate in 2023, despite widespread illusions, has since moved to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which the SEP described as another gang-up of pro-rich and anti-poor politicians. The party argued that the APC, ADC, and PDP are essentially the same, and that the Labour Party does not have a fundamentally different character or programme. The SEP called for the formation of a party of the working people, founded on a programme of socialism and equality, and criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for failing to register the SEP as a political party despite listing it as one of 177 political associations seeking registration in early 2026. The party is currently waging a legal and political campaign for its registration.
