THE Nigeria Labour Congress has directed workers in states that have not fully implemented the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act to observe May Day 2026 on the streets, suspending all indoor or official celebrations.
In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Friday by its General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, the union condemned several state governments for failing to implement key provisions of the Act, including consequential adjustments for senior workers, regular and timely payment of the new wage, and extending coverage to local government staff, primary school teachers, and health workers.
The NLC described these violations as not only a breach of the law but also an assault on the dignity of Nigerian workers.
President Bola Tinubu had signed the new minimum wage bill into law on July 29, 2024, raising the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.
However, many states have yet to comply fully with the new wage.
May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, is celebrated annually on May 1 to honour workers and labour movements worldwide.
The NLC, however, is urging workers to reflect on the state of workers’ rights and celebrate collective efforts in building the nation’s wealth.
The NLC directed its councils in non-compliant states to ensure that no May Day ceremonies are held in government houses, banquet halls, or any enclosed venues hosted by or in collaboration with defaulting state governments. All official receptions have been suspended.
Workers are expected to assemble at designated labour houses, union secretariats, or public squares by 7:00 am on May 1, 2026, and take to the streets of their respective state capitals in peaceful, organised, and resolute processions.
Each state council is required to design a route that terminates at either the State Government House, the State House of Assembly, or the office of the Head of Service, where a formal memorandum of demands will be submitted.
“Comrades, the 2024 Minimum Wage Act did not come through supplication. It came through struggle. To celebrate May Day indoors while our rights are trampled upon is to betray that legacy. Let us therefore return to the streets!” the statement read.
Complaints about the N70,000 minimum wage are widespread among workers and unions, who argue it is insufficient amid soaring inflation and rising living costs.
Headline inflation has eroded the wage’s real value, and workers say it cannot cover basic needs such as schooling, housing, or food. Some have labeled it “too poor” and a driver of corruption.
The NLC has previously demanded an urgent review of the minimum wage, citing galloping inflation and unsustainable earnings. In March 2026, organised labour proposed a new minimum wage of N154,000, including a 120% salary adjustment tied to inflation.