The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to reduce petrol prices, commence minimum wage renegotiations and address outstanding agreements with workers.
The ultimatum begins on Friday, October 9, 2026, following a joint meeting of the NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) and Central Working Committee (CWC) held in Abuja on October 7.
The communiqué, signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero, comes amid rising living costs and concerns over the declining purchasing power of Nigerian workers.
The congress warned that failure to address its demands within two weeks could trigger further action.
NLC Demands Return To 2024 Petrol Price Level
The labour union wants petrol prices reduced to the level prevailing when President Bola Tinubu signed the current national minimum wage into law in July 2024.
It also wants negotiations on a new minimum wage to begin before the end of October.
“The joint meeting issues a two-week ultimatum to the federal government, beginning from Friday, the 9th day of October, 2026,” the communiqué stated.
The NLC said high petrol prices had increased transportation, food and other essential costs, putting additional pressure on workers and households.
It argued that the current minimum wage had lost purchasing power because of naira depreciation and rising living expenses.
The congress also demanded the implementation of agreed tax relief measures and wage awards to cushion workers against the rising cost of living.
The congress also demanded that the government implement outstanding agreements with public-sector and health-sector workers, including the February 5, 2026, settlement with the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (JOHESU), as well as the demands of the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council (JPSNC).
FG Announces 30-Day Petrol Discount
The NLC’s ultimatum comes as the Federal Government announces a 30-day petrol discount through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), with priority for public transport operators.
Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said NNPC Retail would forgo its retail profit margin and sell petrol at cost during the intervention. The government said the measure was intended to cushion households against rising fuel prices, rather than restore the former blanket subsidy.
The government has also proposed a ₦1,350-per-litre ceiling on petrol’s ex-gantry or landing cost, alongside plans to support domestic refining, expand compressed natural gas (CNG) deployment and remove illegal levies that increase transport and logistics costs.
Oyedele warned that returning petrol to its pre-reform price could cost more than ₦20 trillion annually, while an intervention of ₦500 per litre could cost more than ₦16 trillion a year.
The government said it would prioritise targeted support, local refining and other interventions instead of reinstating a blanket petrol subsidy.
States Paying Above ₦70,000 Minimum Wage
The NLC’s call for fresh minimum wage negotiations comes as several states have approved wages above the national benchmark of ₦70,000 signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024.
According to Nairametrics Research, Imo State had the highest reported minimum wage at ₦104,000 as of April 2026, followed by Ebonyi at ₦90,000.
Lagos and Rivers had approved ₦85,000, while Niger, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Oyo had approved ₦80,000.
Other states, including Ogun, Edo, Kebbi, Benue and Osun, had also approved wages above the national benchmark, although implementation varied.
Several states remained at ₦70,000, while Zamfara had yet to fully implement the approved wage as of April 2026, according to the research.
The 2024 minimum wage law reduced the wage review cycle from five years to three, placing renewed emphasis on negotiations as workers face rising living costs.
