President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held a crucial closed-door meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday night, as the nation awaits a final decision on a proposed nationwide industrial action.
Consultation, Not Conclusion
The engagement, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was described by NLC President Joe Ajaero as a consultation rather than a conclusive negotiation. Speaking to journalists after the talks, Ajaero emphasised that the labour leadership would need to brief its internal organs before making any public pronouncement on the planned protest and strike.
"We came for consultation with the President, and we are finished, so we have to go back to our meeting and then continue tomorrow," Ajaero stated. "By tomorrow, we will get the outcome."
Collective Decision-Making Process
When pressed on whether the NLC was still insisting on proceeding with its planned action, Ajaero declined to give a definitive answer. He stressed that decisions within the congress are collective and not driven by individuals.
"If I'm insisting or not insisting, I will communicate that to you," he said. "It is not an organisation that one person rules. We will go back to the drawing board, digest all that Mr. President said to us, and move forward from there."
Dialogue Remains the Preferred Path
The meeting was also attended by the Imo State Governor and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors' Forum, Hope Uzodinma. Governor Uzodinma indicated that sustained dialogue remained the preferred option for resolving the outstanding issues between labour and the government.
"Consultation is going on. We were dialoguing, and like His Excellency said, at the end of the day, you will know what you are supposed to know and what you want to know," Uzodinma remarked.
He added that all parties were acting in the broader national interest. "We are here to serve the country, the labour, the government and the governed. We are all working in service to the nation."
The Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, who also addressed the press, said the labour leaders were reassured by the direct engagement with the President.
"They are citizens who are also members of the NLC. They wanted to see Mr. President, and they've seen Mr. President," Onyejeocha said. "They are happy they've had firsthand engagement and that at least the President has driven the economy out of the woods. It is very good news."
The high-stakes consultations occur against a backdrop of heightened public anxiety over economic pressures and labour demands. With the threat of a strike looming, Nigerians across the country are watching closely for clarity. The NLC is expected to reconvene its internal meetings on Wednesday, December 18, 2025, after which a clearer position on the next steps is anticipated to be announced.
