,,,, Nigerians Urge Quick, Amicable Resolution To Avert Strike.
By Dada Ahmed
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to refund allegedly diverted workers’ funds from the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and to immediately constitute the governing board of the National Pension Commission (PenCom).
The ultimatum, contained in a communiqué released after the NLC’s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, underscores concerns within the labour movement about the protection of workers’ welfare and entitlements.
Presided over by the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the meeting addressed pressing national and workers’ issues. The communiqué warned that failure to meet the union’s demands within the stipulated time could result in a nationwide strike.
Disagreements between government and organised labour over workers’ entitlements are not new. Over the years, they have surfaced in areas such as minimum wage implementation, pension arrears, and social insurance benefits. The latest allegations surrounding NSITF funds have rekindled debate about accountability and transparency in managing workers’ contributions.
The absence of a governing board for PenCom has also been a source of concern, with labour leaders arguing that proper oversight is essential in a sector responsible for managing trillions of naira in pension assets.
Labour stakeholders maintain that safeguarding pensions and social insurance contributions is not only about financial protection but also about sustaining workers’ confidence in the system.
This is because as the popular saying goes,“The pension of today’s worker is the lifeline of tomorrow’s retiree. If that lifeline is cut, what hope is left?”
Concerned Nigerians express the fear that if the ultimatum is ignored, the NLC has vowed to mobilize its affiliates for a nationwide strike, a move that could cripple essential services across health, education, banking, transport, and the oil sector. Obviously,for a nation already grappling with economic hardship, inflation, and insecurity, such an industrial action could have far-reaching consequences.
Beyond the threat of a shutdown, the dispute underscores the broader question bordering on trust between Nigerian workers and the government. The arguing in the labor circle is that, when pensions and social insurance contributions are not safeguarded, it destroys the hope of workers for a dignified life after service
The CWC meeting also resolved to dissolve the NLC leadership in Edo State, though no official reasons were given. Union insiders suggest that internal disagreements may have informed the decision.
The coming days will reveal how government responds to the union’s demands.
While the NLC insists that urgent action is necessary, observers hope for dialogue that will avert a nationwide strike and ensure that workers’ concerns are addressed without disruption to the economy.
The ball is now in the court of government and the labour to reach amicable resolution to avert another strike of potentially monumental proportions.
Ahmed, a writer on labour issues,publishes The Reporters.
