President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to cushion effects of the economic hardship in the country, strengthen job security and ensure workers in Nigeria were given fair treatment.

Tinubu, who addressed workers yesterday at the 2025 International Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle Square, Abuja, admitted that Nigerians were passing through economic hardship and struggling with the “real and critical” nature of rising costs of living, unemployment, and food insecurity.

Represented by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammed Maigari Dingyadi, he pledged intensified efforts in job creation, social protection, and poverty alleviation, as he lauded Nigerian workers as the “backbone of our society.”

He said: “This administration stands ready to collaborate with labour unions, the organised and informal private sector, and Civil Society Organisations to create policies and programmes that safeguard the rights and livelihoods of workers across all sectors of the economy. “I am well aware of the peculiarities of this economic hardship for Nigerians,” he said. “These challenges demand definite solutions, which I as your President am poised to address.

On the 2025 Worker’s Day theme: ‘Reclaiming the Civic Space in the Midst of Economic Hardship’, Tinubu stressed the importance of reclaiming the democratic arena where dialogue, dissent, and social innovation flourish. “We must protect the rights of workers to organise, advocate, and participate in decision-making processes.

We must ensure that the voices of the marginalised are amplified, not silenced.” President Tinubu further revealed Nigeria’s intent to join the Global Coalition for Social Justice under the International Labour Organisation, aligning the country with international standards on employment creation, social equity, and workers’ rights.

Tinubu also lauded the workers saying: “You are the true heroes of our nation. This Workers’ Day is a celebration of your achievements and a reminder of the limitless potential we hold as a united and determined people.”