Labour Set for Fresh Showdown: Ajaero Demands Cost of Living Allowance as Inflation Worsens.

Labour Set for Fresh Showdown: Ajaero Demands Cost of Living Allowance as Inflation Worsens

By Aliyu Muhammad Adam 

As economic hardship deepens across Nigeria, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has announced that organised labour will demand a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) from the government and employers to cushion the effect of inflation, even as the value of the recently approved N70,000 minimum wage continues to erode.

Speaking after the May Day celebrations, Ajaero expressed discontent over the outcome of the minimum wage negotiations, revealing that the government delegation was unprepared to base the wage on real living costs. "We asked what portion of the N70,000 would go to transportation, housing, and food, but there was no answer. We wanted the wage pegged to inflation rates, but they refused," he said.

According to him, labour reluctantly accepted the N70,000 after a national strike and a presidential assurance that fuel prices would remain stable—a promise that was soon broken. With inflation skyrocketing and wage relief packages discontinued, Ajaero said workers are now left with no choice but to push for COLA.

He criticized state governors for failing to utilize savings from the removed fuel subsidy to alleviate hardship, noting that some states aren’t even paying workers. “We have every reason to demand relief,” Ajaero stated. “In times past, people were given foodstuffs just to survive.”

Explaining the theme of this year’s May Day, “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the Midst of Economic Hardship,” Ajaero underscored the need to protect citizens' right to protest amid worsening living conditions and rising authoritarianism. “When we cry out, we’re met with threats. But democracy thrives when people can speak out.”

Drawing parallels to the historic resistance against the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) under General Ibrahim Babangida, Ajaero warned that repressing civic voices during economic crises only fuels unrest. He recalled student-led protests from his days in NANS and stressed that present conditions mirror that era—with inflation, insecurity, and economic uncertainty crushing everyday Nigerians.

As inflation climbs and essential goods become unaffordable, the labour leader warned: "The people will resist. It’s not a matter of if—but when."

© Naija Mirror News

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