A Nigerian advocacy group, the Grassroots Center for Rights & Civic Orientation, has used International Workers’ Day to highlight the “deplorable” situation facing working people in the country, calling for urgent measures to tackle poverty and improve welfare.
In a statement released on Thursday, marking the global commemoration, the Center’s Executive Director Armsfree Ajanaku expressed solidarity with all Nigerian workers, from teachers and civil servants to those in the informal sector, acknowledging their crucial contribution to the nation’s wealth.
The group stressed the need for fair compensation at state, societal, and private sector levels to promote social justice, combat poverty, and boost economic participation. They criticised a situation where the needs of the majority are neglected in favour of the “ostentatious preferences of a minority elite.”
The statement cited a recent World Bank report indicating Nigeria’s high poverty rates despite its resource wealth, with projections suggesting a further increase in poverty by 2027. For Nigerian workers, the Grassroots Center warned this would worsen already precarious economic conditions. They pointed to current food inflation and rising essential commodity prices, arguing that the recently approved minimum wage increase had already been eroded by the high cost of living.
The Center argued that the current minimum wage of 70,000 Naira (£35 approximately at current exchange rates) is insufficient for the average worker to afford basic necessities like food, shelter, clothing, and education for their children.
The situation is reportedly similar for small and medium-sized businesses, considered vital for economic growth and job creation, with high operating costs leading to closures and increased unemployment. The Grassroots Center criticised the government’s response, stating that the plight of the people is often overlooked amidst political “dramas,” and governance has been “abandoned.”
The group called for immediate short, medium, and long-term programs to eradicate poverty, foster inclusive prosperity, and address the deprivation faced by workers. They joined labour unions in demanding a review of the minimum wage and advocated for large-scale, transparent poverty reduction programs in key sectors like health, education, and agriculture, implemented with civil society and media oversight.
The Grassroots Center urged the Federal Government, as well as state and local governments (many of which have reportedly not implemented the current minimum wage), to learn from successful poverty reduction models in other countries. They also called on civil society and the media to actively engage with these issues to ensure government accountability.
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