By Victor Ahiuma-Young
Stakeholders in the labour movement, academia, the media and other sectors have called on the Federal Government to place people’s welfare at the centre of its economic reform policies, insisting that sustainable economic growth cannot be achieved at the expense of workers’ rights, decent wages and social protection.
The stakeholders made the call at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN), held in Lagos, with the theme, “Workers at the Centre of Nigeria’s Political Transition: Defending Rights, Advancing Welfare and Building Economic Justice.”
In a communiqué issued at the end of the conference, participants stressed that economic reforms must translate into improved living conditions, decent employment, affordable transportation, effective social security and greater protection for workers and pensioners.
Participants included representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Precision Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA), as well as academics, activists and politicians, among others.
They declared that “workers’ welfare and purchasing power are important drivers of economic growth and domestic consumption,” urging the Federal Government to formulate policies that would stimulate local businesses, increase household consumption and strengthen economic activities.
The conference maintained that “sustainable economic growth cannot be achieved without decent wages, secure employment, effective social protection, respect for workers’ rights and institutional accountability.”
Welfare of journalists
On the welfare of journalists, the stakeholders expressed concern over poor remuneration, unfavourable working conditions and inadequate welfare packages confronting media workers across the country.
They called on the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to strengthen its trade union responsibilities by engaging media employers in collective bargaining negotiations aimed at securing improved salaries, better conditions of service and other welfare benefits for journalists.
The communiqué stated that “journalism, while a professional calling, is also an employment-based occupation for the majority of practitioners,” stressing that trade union representation and collective bargaining were indispensable to protecting journalists’ interests.
The conference also urged media proprietors, professional associations and the Guild of Editors to collaborate in ensuring decent working conditions for media workers.
Identifying the challenges confronting journalists, participants highlighted rising transportation costs, inadequate housing opportunities and weak social security arrangements as major obstacles to their welfare and professional effectiveness.
They called for the revival of the journalists’ housing scheme through partnerships with mortgage institutions to enable media workers to acquire homes under affordable and sustainable payment arrangements.
The stakeholders further urged the NUJ and other relevant organisations to develop comprehensive welfare programmes covering healthcare, transportation, housing and retirement security.
Expressing concern over growing employment insecurity in the media industry, the conference called on media employers to guarantee improved salaries, job security, pension benefits and better conditions of service.
It noted that poor remuneration and unfavourable working conditions had contributed to the frequent movement of journalists from one media organisation to another.
Minimum wage review
On the forthcoming national minimum wage review, the conference called on the Federal Government, employers and organised labour to commence consultations and negotiations ahead of the next review and implementation scheduled for April 2027.
It urged both parties to ensure that the next minimum wage determination reflects prevailing inflationary trends, the cost-of-living index, the value of the naira and the actual costs of food, accommodation, transportation and other essential services.
According to the communiqué, “wage negotiations should be guided by credible economic data rather than arbitrary figures.”
The conference also called for measures to protect workers’ purchasing power against the persistent erosion of wages by inflation.
Transportation crisis
On the transportation crisis, participants expressed concern over the rising cost of commuting and its impact on workers’ disposable income.
They urged the Federal Government to develop sustainable and affordable public transportation systems, including the effective deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered and electric vehicles.
While acknowledging the temporary transportation relief provided to workers, including the additional N70,000 allowance for six months, the conference stressed that “temporary welfare interventions must not be used to reverse or diminish gains already made by workers through wage negotiations.”
The stakeholders also called on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to resolve their differences and strengthen cooperation in defending workers’ collective interests.
They urged both labour centres to consider developing a memorandum of understanding to harmonise their positions and improve collaboration on issues affecting workers’ welfare.
The communiqué observed that “a united labour movement would be better positioned to engage the government and resist policies inimical to workers’ interests.”
Public sector reforms
On public sector reforms, the conference called on governments at all levels to ensure that administrative restructuring balances efficiency with workers’ rights, social justice and institutional capacity.
It warned that reforms driven solely by cost-cutting considerations could result in job losses, casualisation, wage stagnation, declining employment security and weakened public service delivery.
The stakeholders therefore urged governments to engage trade unions and workers before implementing restructuring programmes.
They also advocated investment in retraining, skills development, occupational safety, fair severance packages and pension guarantees for workers affected by reform programmes.
Pensioners’ welfare, social protection
On pensioners’ welfare, the conference called on the Federal Government and relevant institutions to ensure the full and lawful implementation of judicial decisions concerning pensioners’ entitlements, including the longstanding dispute involving pensioners of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
It urged labour unions, civil society organisations and the media to sustain advocacy for pensioners’ rights, insisting that “serving workers and pensioners represent interconnected stages of the same workforce and must be protected through comprehensive welfare policies.”
The conference further called for expanded social protection mechanisms to cover occupational injuries, disabilities, unemployment, healthcare needs and other vulnerabilities confronting workers and their families.
It urged employers to comply with their statutory obligations under the Employees’ Compensation Scheme administered by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
Political transition, workers’ participation
On Nigeria’s political transition, the stakeholders urged workers to exercise political responsibility by rejecting vote-selling and making informed electoral choices based on policies and programmes that promote their collective interests.
They also called for greater transparency and accountability in the management of the country’s natural resources and public revenues, urging the government to prioritise domestic refining, strengthen local production and explain how additional revenues generated from crude oil sales are managed.
NSITF MD receives award
Meanwhile, the conference commended the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the NSITF, Mr Oluwaseun Faleye, for his contributions to advancing workers’ social security and safety.
In recognition of his leadership and commitment to workers’ protection, LAWAN honoured Faleye with its Champion of Workers’ Social Security and Safety Award.
The conference also called for stronger collaboration among journalists, labour organisations, professional associations and civil society groups to defend workers’ rights, protect the civic space and promote accountability in the implementation of government policies.
It urged journalists to move beyond reporting strikes and industrial disputes to provide more comprehensive coverage of collective bargaining, negotiations, employment policies, productivity, social protection and the economic realities affecting workers.
Reaffirming its commitment to responsible labour reporting, workers’ welfare, collective bargaining, social justice and inclusive governance, LAWAN called on the Federal Government, organised labour, employers, media organisations and civil society groups to translate the conference recommendations into concrete actions.
It added that “workers’ welfare must remain central to Nigeria’s political transition and economic reform agenda.”
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