The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans to hold a nationwide protest on Thursday, 17 December 2025, to demand urgent action from the Federal Government over rising insecurity, the worsening condition of tertiary education, the ongoing health sector strike, and growing concerns about political interference in the Labour Party.
The decision was taken after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the NLC, which was held at the union’s Sub-Secretariat in Yaba, Lagos, on Thursday, 4 December 2025. A communiqué issued after the meeting outlined the union’s deep concerns and the reasons behind the planned mass mobilisation.
According to the NEC, the security situation in Nigeria has continued to deteriorate, with recent incidents highlighting serious failures in protection for vulnerable communities. The NLC cited the abduction of 24 girls from a boarding school in Kebbi State on 17 November 2025, during which two staff members were reportedly killed. The union condemned the withdrawal of security personnel from the school before the attack, describing the action as criminal and unacceptable.
The NLC warned that kidnappings targeting schoolchildren across Nigeria have reached alarming levels and require immediate and decisive intervention by the government. The NEC called on authorities to strengthen security around schools, especially those in rural and high-risk areas, and demanded a full investigation into the lapses that led to the Kebbi incident, with prosecution of anyone found culpable.
The union also drew attention to Nigeria’s worsening poverty situation. It referenced a World Bank report released in October 2025, which stated that about 139 million Nigerians, representing roughly 61 to 62 per cent of the population, are currently living in poverty. The NLC stated that this figure shows that economic hardship has deepened despite ongoing reforms.
The NEC expressed strong concern over the state of the tertiary education sector. It noted that many universities are struggling with dilapidated infrastructure, outdated teaching and research equipment, and unpaid staff allowances. The union accused the Federal Government of using divide-and-rule tactics to weaken the unity of education unions and delay meaningful negotiations.
The NLC urged the government to end such tactics and implement a transparent and uniform remuneration system for all categories of university workers, while taking into account the unique roles of different professional groups within the sector.
The union also reviewed the ongoing strike action by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), which began on 14 November 2025. It expressed worry over the withdrawal of nurses from the strike but warned that if talks with the government fail, the NLC and its affiliate unions may join the industrial action in full solidarity.
In a move to strengthen social mobilisation, the NEC directed the revival of the Labour–Civil Society Coalition, a structure originally formed under the leadership of former NLC President, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The aim, according to the union, is to deepen cooperation between labour organisations and civil society groups in pushing for accountability and reforms.
On political matters, the NLC raised concerns about developments within the Labour Party. It alleged that the party had been taken over by commercial interests, particularly through the activities of the Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee. The NEC resolved to withdraw NLC members from these committees.
The union also said it would begin building alliances with political parties that share working-class and pro-people ideologies, while still engaging with the Labour Party where possible.
The NLC concluded that the planned nationwide protest on 17 December 2025 is aimed at drawing national and international attention to what it described as failures of governance in addressing insecurity, economic hardship, labour disputes, and political accountability.
The Congress reaffirmed its commitment to defending workers’ rights and improving living and working conditions. It called on workers and citizens across the country to remain united, steadfast, and peaceful as they prepare for the mass action.
