2026 Workers’ Day: Tinubu Calls Out Insecurity, Poverty as Top Threats to Jobs

By Ifeyinwa Austine

On this year’s Workers’ Day, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has zeroed in on Nigeria’s dual crises of insecurity and poverty, labeling them as critical barriers to jobs, productivity, and stability.

Addressing thousands at Eagle Square in Abuja, through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Tinubu tied his message to the International Labour Organization’s Decent Work Agenda theme.

He stressed that true decent work demands safety from fear and wages that support families.

Tinubu spotlighted his administration’s bold moves, including the Community Protection Guards Initiative recruiting 45,000 youths for local security and job creation.

Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, mega-projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline have sparked over 600,000 jobs.

He named welfare gains to include a new national minimum wage, cleared pension arrears, and gratuities reinstated from January 2026.

Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero pressed for urgent fixes to skyrocketing living costs and full welfare rollout, affirming workers as the nation’s economic engine deserving fair pay, safe conditions, and solid protections.

Trade Union Congress President, Festus Osifo flagged naira woes and insecurity as hardship drivers, urging focus on safety and stability to uplift workers.

A lively march-past by unions capped the event, with both government and labour vowing closer ties for better worker welfare and dignity.