May Day: NLC Orders Street Protests Over Minimum Wage Non-compliance

Barely a month to the 2026 May Day, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed workers in states yet to fully implement the 2024 national minimum wage Act to mark the International Workers’ Day with street protests, warning against participation in official celebrations organised by defaulting state governments.

In a circular issued by the labour centre’s general-secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja yesterday, the labour movement expressed concern over what it described as widespread violations of the wage law, including failure to implement consequential salary adjustments.

Other issues of grievances contained in the memo include irregular payment of the new wage and exclusion of key categories of workers such as local government employees, primary school teachers and health workers.

The directive mandates all affected state councils to boycott indoor ceremonies and official receptions hosted in collaboration with non-compliant state governments.

Instead, workers are to converge at designated labour houses, union offices or public squares by 7:00 a.m. on May 1, 2026, before embarking on peaceful processions across their respective state capitals.

According to the NLC, each procession is expected to terminate at strategic government locations, including state government houses, state assemblies, or offices of the heads of service, where formal memoranda of demands will be submitted.

The congress warned that any state council leadership that fails to comply with the directive risks disciplinary action.

The circular said, “We bring you fraternal greetings from the national leadership of congress. May Day, the international day of the working class has always been a Day of solemn reflection on the state of workers’ rights and the celebration of our collective efforts in continuously building the wealth of nations.

“Regrettably, several state governments have continued to violate the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act, refusing to fully implement its key provisions.

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”.