The Nigeria Labour Congress has announced plans for a nationwide protest on Thursday, 17 December 2025, to demand urgent government action on a series of pressing national crises, including escalating insecurity, the deteriorating tertiary education system, the ongoing health sector strike, and concerns over political interference in the Labour Party.
The announcement followed the union’s National Executive Council meeting, held at the NLC Sub-Secretariat in Yaba, Lagos, on Thursday, 4 December 2025.
In the communiqué released after the meeting, the NEC expressed “very serious concern” over the worsening security situation in the country, citing the abduction of 24 girls from a boarding school in Kebbi State on 17 November 2025, during which two staff members were killed.
The NEC condemned the withdrawal of security personnel before the attack, describing it as a “dastardly and criminal action” and warning that “the surge in kidnappings targeting school children in Nigerian schools has reached an alarming level and requires immediate action by the Nigerian government.”
Approximately 139 million people are living in poverty in Nigeria as of 2025, according to the World Bank’s Nigeria Development Update report released in October 2025. This figure represents about 61-62 per cent of Nigeria’s total population, indicating a sharp increase from previous years and highlighting that poverty has deepened despite ongoing economic reforms.
The NLC called on the Federal Government to take immediate steps to protect schools, particularly those in remote or high-risk areas, and demanded a full investigation and prosecution of all individuals responsible for lapses in security.
The NEC also expressed deep concern about the ongoing crisis in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector. University infrastructure continues to deteriorate, teaching and research resources remain outdated, and staff allowances are often unpaid.
The NLC criticised the Federal Government’s use of divide-and-rule tactics, which it said undermined unity among unions and stalled negotiations. The union urged the government to halt these strategies and implement a fair and uniform remuneration framework for all categories of university workers, while recognising the peculiarities of different professional groups.
The NEC reviewed the ongoing strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions, which began on 14 November 2025. The union expressed concern over the withdrawal of nurses from the industrial action and warned that if negotiations with the Federal Government failed, the NLC and all its affiliates would join the strike in full solidarity.
In addition, the NEC directed the revival of the Labour–Civil Society Coalition, originally formed under the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to strengthen collaboration between labour organisations and civil society in addressing national issues.
The union also addressed concerns regarding the Labour Party, noting that it had been hijacked by mercantile interests, particularly through the conduct of members of the Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee.
The NLC resolved to withdraw its members from these committees and to begin building coalitions with political parties whose ideologies align with working-class principles, while continuing to engage with the Labour Party where possible.
The body concluded that the planned mass mobilisation on 17 December 2025 is necessary to draw attention to the failures of the government in addressing insecurity, economic hardship, industrial disputes, and political integrity.
The union reaffirmed its commitment to protecting workers’ rights, improving living and working conditions, and defending Nigerian citizens. It called on all workers and citizens to remain united, steadfast, and resolute in the collective struggle to safeguard national stability and promote socio-economic justice.
