Another nationwide strike could be days away. Labour says it’s had enough of meetings without mandates.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have ordered all affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to start mobilising for action after talks with the Federal Government in Abuja ended in deadlock.

The next round is set for Tuesday, 27 October - and labour warns it must produce results.

This isn’t just about unions and ministers. It’s about the bus driver in Lagos buying petrol at nearly N1,500 per litre, the nurse in Abuja whose N70,000 wage no longer covers rent and food, and the family choosing between transport fare and school fees.

As cbinews.tv understands, labour leaders say the N70,000 minimum wage signed in July 2024 was agreed when petrol was around N700 per litre. Today, NNPC stations are selling at N1,430 in Abuja and approaching N1,500 in Lagos. The wage, they argue, has already been “destroyed”.

Cost of living: Petrol at N1,429+ drives up transport, food and everything else.

Wage value wiped out: What N70,000 could buy in 2024 can’t buy half of it today.

Health and public services at risk: Labour is also pushing for the implementation of the agreement with JOHESU and allowances for public servants - issues that directly affect hospitals and government offices.

In a joint statement signed by NLC General Secretary Benson Upah and TUC Secretary-General Nuhu Toro, organised labour accused the government delegation at Thursday’s meeting at the Ministry of Labour of coming “unprepared and without the necessary mandates to engage substantively.”

Labour’s demands remain:

Cut petrol price to 2024 levels

Renegotiate the N70,000 national minimum wage

Implement agreed tax relief

Implement settlement with JOHESU and resolve JPSNC demands on peculiar, wage award and hazard allowances.

The Minister of Labour asked for adjournment to 27 October to assemble all relevant ministers and heads of agencies.

Labour replied bluntly: “We will not accept indefinite delay.”

We’ve been here before. Labour initially demanded N615,000 during the 2024 minimum wage talks, citing subsidy removal and naira devaluation, before settling for N70,000 after intervention by President Bola Tinubu. The deal was signed on 29 July 2024 with an understanding that fuel prices would stay stable - a promise labour says was broken when NNPC hiked prices from N897 to over N1,000 in October 2024.

From warning strikes in 2023 to a two-week ultimatum this October, the pattern is familiar: ultimatum, talks, deadlock.

All eyes on Tuesday. Labour says it will attend, but if there’s no “meaningful progress”, its organs will decide the next line of action - which could mean a full nationwide shutdown.

Workers have been told to remain calm but be on alert.

Source: Joint NLC/TUC statement, as reported to cbinews.tv

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