President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of failing to maintain meaningful engagement with organised labour.
Ajaero described the government as aloof and disconnected from the congress, alleging that repeated attempts by the NLC to engage the Federal Government on issues affecting workers were largely ignored.
The NLC president made the remarks during the latest episode of the Mic On Podcast, where he reflected on the events surrounding the labour union’s planned nationwide protest in December 2025.
According to Ajaero, the NLC wrote to President Tinubu several times between May and December 2025 but did not receive the response it expected.
“For the past two to three years, it’s not government that is engaging. This government doesn’t engage,” Ajaero said.
He said the lack of response eventually led the NLC to announce a nationwide protest scheduled for December 17, 2025.
“It’s only when people engage; they now say A, B, C, D. So they are aloof,” he added.
Ajaero, however, said some state governors later intervened and facilitated an interface between labour leaders and the Federal Government.
He said that while the intervention resulted in some discussions, engagements between the two sides had remained limited.
“Some governors intervened, and we had an interface. So some governors met with us, and since that time, we have talked once or twice,” he said.
The NLC president further alleged that several of the issues raised by organised labour had remained unresolved since December 2025.
His comments come amid renewed pressure from organised labour over the rising cost of living, petrol prices and workers’ wages. The NLC has recently demanded a reduction in petrol prices, a nationwide wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage.
Ajaero’s latest remarks also come against the backdrop of a three-day warning strike by public servants under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council over demands including lower petrol prices and improved wages.