Nigerian workers on Friday joined millions across the globe to commemorate Workers’ Day amid growing hardship, insecurity, and economic uncertainty.
Rather than celebration, the 2026 May Day was marked by widespread frustration as workers lamented the biting effects of rising inflation, deepening poverty, and worsening safety concerns across the country.
From formal workplaces to the informal sector, many said the dream of improved living conditions continues to fade, as surging food prices, transport fares, and energy costs stretch already strained incomes.
Labour leaders also raised alarm over what they described as a worsening socio-economic environment, warning that the absence of urgent measures to address insecurity and stabilise the economy could further erode workers’ welfare.
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, decried the level of hardship confronting citizens, citing insecurity, poverty, inflation, and currency depreciation as major factors worsening living conditions.
He warned that failure to tackle insecurity and economic challenges could deepen unemployment and accelerate the disappearance of decent jobs, noting that about 90 per cent of employment in Nigeria remains within the informal sector.
Similarly, Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees, Dominic Igwebike, highlighted the challenges facing workers in the power sector, including job insecurity, poor remuneration, unsafe working conditions, and rising inflation.
He said electricity workers operate under constant threats, with cases of kidnappings, attacks on infrastructure, and harassment of personnel becoming frequent occurrences.
Igwebike added that many workers now struggle to meet basic needs, as the rising cost of living continues to outpace stagnant wages, making decent work increasingly unattainable.
Earlier, at a pre-May Day lecture organised by labour unions, development expert Dr Toyin Olawunmi warned that escalating poverty and insecurity pose serious risks to national stability and economic productivity.
He stressed that fear, hunger, and weak institutions undermine the foundation for decent work, noting that insecurity has evolved into a major economic threat affecting farming, trade, and overall productivity.
