Two Years, No Relief: Labour Congress Decries Tinubu's Two-Year Reign as Era of Suffering, Broken Promises

 

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has delivered a scathing assessment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration as it marks its second year in office, describing the period as one of deepening anguish and unrelenting hardship for Nigerian workers and the broader population.

Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, painted a grim picture of the country’s economic trajectory under Tinubu’s leadership, criticizing the administration for what he described as “recycled failures” disguised as reform. Far from the promises of prosperity and stability, Ajaero said, the government’s decisions have ignited a storm of economic woes, particularly among workers, pensioners, and small businesses.

Tinubu, who assumed office on May 29, 2023, pledged a bold reworking of Nigeria’s economic foundation. He promised that sweeping reforms would rescue the nation from decades of fiscal mismanagement and lay the groundwork for growth and stability. But according to the labour union, those promises have not only gone unfulfilled—they have backfired.

From the moment the administration abruptly removed fuel subsidies, the economy began spiraling into crisis, Ajaero noted. Petrol prices, once pegged at N187 per litre, soared to over N600 almost overnight. This singular move, he argued, sent shockwaves across households and businesses, triggering a chain reaction of inflation, transport disruptions, and widespread economic instability.

“There was no reinvestment of subsidy savings into productive ventures that could cushion the impact,” Ajaero said. “What we got instead was inflation so severe that many families now go to bed without food, small businesses are shutting their doors daily, and transport costs are devouring what little income remains.”

He pointed to the administration’s embrace of floating the naira as another disastrous decision. By leaving the national currency at the mercy of “market forces,” the naira has tumbled in value, making basic commodities more expensive and turning Nigeria into a cheap market for foreign buyers. The ripple effects have been severe: local industries are collapsing under the pressure of rising input costs and the domination of imported goods.

The NLC’s message went beyond economics. Ajaero also decried what he described as rising authoritarianism under Tinubu’s government, alleging a clampdown on organised labour and civil dissent. He accused the administration of flouting court orders and criminalising union protests, creating a hostile climate for activism and dialogue.

“This government has responded to legitimate labour concerns not with compassion or negotiation but with intimidation and harassment,” Ajaero said. “There has been a disturbing trend of disregarding court rulings, delaying wage payments, and treating union activities as criminal acts.”

Among the affected groups, Ajaero listed pensioners, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and an estimated 150 million Nigerians who are now classified as “multidimensionally poor.” Real wages, he noted, have been “obliterated” by inflation and currency depreciation, while basic services remain out of reach for a majority of citizens.

Though the Federal Government has introduced initiatives such as the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to mitigate transportation challenges, the NLC argues that these measures are superficial at best. The scale of economic decline, coupled with inadequate infrastructure to support alternatives, has rendered such programs ineffective.

“The CNG buses are a drop in an ocean of need,” Ajaero said. “Without the necessary infrastructure to support them, they remain symbolic gestures, not solutions.”

He also criticised the government’s continued delay in paying wage award arrears, despite repeated promises. For Nigerian workers already stretched thin, the unfulfilled pledges further undermine trust in the administration’s sincerity and capability.

The NLC president urged the government to abandon what he termed the “IMF playbook” of subsidy removals, currency devaluation, and austerity. These policies, he argued, have repeatedly failed in the past and are once again proving to be ruinous for the most vulnerable segments of society.

“Each time we are told these bitter pills are necessary for recovery,” Ajaero said. “But after decades of swallowing the same poison, all we’ve seen is deepening poverty, a widening gap between the rich and the poor, and a nation perpetually struggling to breathe.”

He concluded by warning that unless urgent corrective measures are taken, the nation risks not just economic collapse but also widespread social unrest fueled by frustration, hunger, and disillusionment.

As the Tinubu administration enters its third year, the chorus of criticism from labour unions and ordinary Nigerians alike continues to grow louder. Whether the government will adjust its course remains to be seen, but for many workers, the past two years have already delivered a harsh verdict: promises made have not translated into lives improved.