The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the retirement age of all civil servants to be increased to 65 years or 40 years of service, aligning with current provisions for teachers, health workers, and judges.
The demand was made by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration at Eagle Square, Abuja.
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Ajaero also raised concerns about the shrinking civic space in Nigeria, warning that citizens and workers are increasingly unable to express themselves freely due to heightened security crackdowns on peaceful protests.
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Speaking a day before, at the Pre-May Day Lecture themed “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the Midst of Economic Hardship,” Ajaero accused authorities of using state forces to suppress demonstrations, including recent protests over economic hardship and minimum wage issues.
He stressed that democratic rights must be protected and urged the labour movement and civil society to resist any efforts to silence the public, warning that a closed civic space endangers democracy itself.
