COVER
NLC Reconsiders Stance on Nationwide Strike
….NLC Nationwide Strike
By Gom Mirian, Abuja
The Organised Labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), yesterday said it was reconsidering its decision to embark on a nationwide strike today.
The strike was scheduled to begin with a mass protest.
After the rescheduled presidential steering committee meeting on palliatives held in Abuja, ry, NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugbaja, said President Bola Tinubu’s announced measures were welcomed although they were not comprehensive enough.
Ugbaja said the labour unions would consult with its members to reach a consensus on the next course of action.
On Monday, the Nigeria Labour Congress faulted the palliative measures announced by President Bola Tinubu to cushion the biting effect of petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians, saying the programmes to be rolled out by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government are totally out of touch with economic realities and hardship currently being faced by poor citizens.
In a statement on Monday, hours after the President’s special broadcast to Nigerians on his plans to alleviate the suffering of the citizens, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said “the promises and assurances made by President Tinubu is not the silver bullet that Nigerians expected”.
“The speech indeed appears to be out of touch with reality and anomalous with the hardship and suffering that most Nigerians are going through now,” the NLC leader said.
Read Also: NLC Calls Nationwide Strike over Cash Swap Policy
Tinubu had removed subsidy on petrol during his epic inauguration speech on May 29, 2023, with a litre of the petrol jumping from N184 to over N620 and food prices and general inflation galloping at an unprecedented rate.
In his address on Monday, Tinubu promised to review workers’ salaries and minimum wage.
He also announced a N75 billion palliative for the manufacturing sector, saying 75 businesses would benefit within a nine-month period spanning the third quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of next year.
The President also noted the administration’s recognition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and the informal sector as drivers of growth.
Tinubu went on to declare a N125 billion fund to energise “this very important sector”.
To boost the agricultural sector, Tinubu disclosed that N200 billion would be spent as part of its plans to support the cultivation of 500,000 hectares of farmland and all-year-round farming practice remains on course.
According to him, provision has been made “to invest N100 billion between now and March 2024 to acquire 3000 units of 20-seater CNG-fuelled buses”.
However, the NLC said the President was expected to tell Nigerians his plans to resuscitate public refineries which have been lying comatose for so many years but he was completely silent on the issue.
The union had threatened a nationwide protest starting August 2, 2023 if the government failed to do the needful.
No Room for Violence, Says IGP
Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun has expressed deep concerns regarding the planned nationwide protests by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
In a statement issued yesterday, the IGP stated that while peaceful protests are a lawful right of citizens, the safety and security of all must be paramount.
The IGP urged all parties involved in the planned demonstrations to ensure that the protests are conducted peacefully to avoid them being hijacked by miscreants. He noted that previous protests have resulted in ugly experiences in most major cosmopolitan cities in the country.
The IGP, however, acknowledges the grievances raised by the labour unions and the importance of constructive dialogue, which is sine qua none, in addressing these issues.
In light of this, the IGP orders the Commissioners of Police in charge of various commands, and supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, to engage in fruitful discussions with the NLC/TUC leadership to foster understanding and reach common grounds on the planned protests. A peaceful and coordinated approach is crucial to achieving meaningful solutions and preventing any form of violence or disruptions to public order, should the protests persist.
The IGP assured citizens that the Police have made adequate arrangements to provide security during the protests, as well as protect the lives and property of all citizens. He also advised citizens to avoid any form of violence, destruction of property, or other forms of lawlessness during the protests as anybody found to be involved in such acts would face the full wrath of the law.
The planned nationwide protests by the NLC and TUC are in response to the recent increase in the pump price of petrol and electricity tariff. The NLC and TUC have called on Nigerians to join them in the peaceful demonstrations slated for August 2.
Kaduna Union Sues for Orderliness, Public Safety during Protest
The Kaduna State Council of the NLC, yesterday called on its members to be orderly and to ensure public safety during Wednesday’s mass demonstration over the removal of fuel subsidy.
The Secretary, Comrade Gado Titus, stated in Kaduna that the council was not oblivious of the volatile situation the country was in, but would not tolerate violence, vandalism, or illegal activities during the demonstrations.
“The law will be upheld; and those found to be inciting violence or participating in criminal acts will be held accountable for their actions.
“To lawful demonstrators, be rest assured that there will be adequate security cover to maintain a peaceful environment and protect the rights of all participants.
“Let us come together as responsible citizens to express our dissatisfaction without infringing on safety and security of our society.
“Our collective commitment to a peaceful and law-abiding society is crucial to the progress and prosperity of our nation,” Titus stated.
He added that the council believed in workers’ right to peaceful protests and demonstrations.
Titus argued that protests and demonstrations were fundamental aspects and pillars of democracy allowing individuals to express their concerns and grievances in a respectful and lawful manner.
He stated that the council called for peaceful participation as the NLC prepared for the demonstration “to drive home the general dissatisfaction of workers over untold hardship caused by the anti-poor policies of government”’. (NAN)
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Development Bank of Nigeria Plc (DBN) has launched DAWN: DBN Action for Women in Nigeria, unveiled its Impact Report and presented MSME Data Assets at the seventh edition of Annual Lecture held in Abuja.
DBN, in a statement on Thursday, said while delivering a welcome address, its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tony Okpanachi, said the central challenge was no longer reforms themselves but ensuring benefits reach businesses at end of the chain.
He asked how to make sure benefits reach traders in Onitsha, fabricator in Aba, farmer in Kebbi and young founder in Yaba, noting that MSMEs accounted for about half of Nigeria’s GDP and more than eight in every ten jobs, adding that when reform works for MSMEs it works for most Nigerians.
He explained that reform becomes prosperity only when entrepreneurs can act on it whether through long tenor loans to buy equipment, banks willing to take risk or skills and records needed to grow.
He said working through Participating Financial Institutions DBN provides longer term funding, partial credit guarantees through subsidiary Impact Credit Guarantee Limited and capacity building including Entrepreneurship Training Programme.
He disclosed that as at December 2025 DBN had disbursed a cumulative N1.4 trillion to MSMEs through 84 Participating Financial Institutions creating about 1.6 million jobs nationwide.
Under the new five year strategy, the Bank aims to reach more than two million MSMEs with deliberate targets for women led businesses, youth led businesses and underserved states.
On DAWN, Okpanachi said finance alone had not enabled enough women-led businesses to scale.
He said initiative brings together financing, guarantees and credit support, technical assistance, outcome linked grants and market linkages delivered through banks, microfinance institutions, fintechs, aggregators, cooperatives and direct channels.
Its priority sectors are agriculture and exports, healthcare, arts and creatives, technology and green business.
He said DAWN is about moving gender focused lending beyond intention and turning access into opportunity.
On the sidelines of the lecture DBN and African Development Bank held a signing ceremony of AfDB DBN 61 million United States dollars Gender Line of Credit development that reinforces Bank commitment to women led enterprises.
Okpanachi urged Participating Financial Institutions to extend lending into sectors and states where access to finance has been limited, policymakers and regulators to measure reform by what changes for business at end of chain and MSMEs to formalise, keep good records and use support now available.
The Vice President as Special Guest of Honour was represented by Dr Fred Iklaga Senior Technical Adviser in the Office of Special Adviser to the President on Economy.
Keynote speakers were Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Dr Karl Toriola, and Chairman of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Dr Segun Ogunsanya.
Fireside chat featured Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank Abubakar Suleiman, manufacturing and trade entrepreneur Mrs Omoyemi Chukwurah and by video Kola Masha of Babban Gona.
The Secretary to the Government of Federation, represented by Augusta Warren Bekaredebo, said 2026 tax reforms would bring relief to many small businesses expressing optimism that a lot of businesses will be smiling by next year because they will be exempted from tax.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened possible nationwide industrial action following the failure of talks with the Federal Government over workers’ welfare, petrol prices and other outstanding labour demands.
The warning came after a meeting between the government and organised labour at the Ministry of Labour in Abuja on Thursday, October 22, ended without an agreement.
The congress has given the Federal Government until Tuesday, October 27, to make meaningful progress on the issues, warning that its relevant organs would decide the next line of action if the next meeting fails to produce concrete commitments.
The NLC has also directed its affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to begin mobilising members for possible nationwide action.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the NLC Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, expressed disappointment over what he described as the government delegation’s lack of preparedness for the negotiations.
According to the congress, organised labour presented its demands in good faith but left the meeting without any concrete commitments from the government.
The demands include a reduction in petrol prices to 2024 levels, renegotiation of the national minimum wage, implementation of agreed tax relief measures and resolution of the terms of settlement involving the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).
The congress also called for the resolution of issues raised by the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) over peculiar allowances, wage awards and hazard allowances.
The NLC said the government delegation lacked the necessary authority to engage meaningfully on the issues presented by labour representatives.
“The meeting between the Federal Government and organised labour, convened at the Ministry of Labour in Abuja on 22nd October 2026, has ended without resolution,” the statement said.
It added that the Minister of Labour requested that the meeting be adjourned until October 27 to allow the government to prepare adequately for further discussions.
The preparations, according to the statement, would include bringing relevant ministers and heads of departments and agencies to the negotiating table.
The congress said it remained open to dialogue but would not accept continued delays in addressing workers’ concerns.
“We will report back to our organs, and if no meaningful progress is made on Tuesday, the relevant organs of the NLC will decide the next line of action,” it said.
The labour body urged workers and members of the public to remain calm while the negotiations continue, even as it directed its affiliates and allies to prepare for possible industrial action.
“However, we urge all affiliates of NLC and TUC; all state councils and our civil society allies to be alert and start mobilising for a possible action across the nation while we hope that the tenets of our demands are met by the government,” the statement added.
The October 27 meeting is expected to provide another opportunity for both sides to address the outstanding issues and prevent a possible escalation of the dispute.
However, the NLC’s decision to begin mobilisation suggests that tensions could rise if the next round of talks fails to produce meaningful progress.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has barred its personnel from escorting politicians during campaigns for the 2027 general elections.
Zonal Commanding Officer, RS6, ACM Abimbola Owolabi, gave the directive during her maiden visit to the Cross River Command in Calabar on Wednesday.
Owolabi said patrol vehicles and sirens must not be used for political activities or private engagements, including weddings and funeral processions.
She directed officers deployed to campaign venues to focus exclusively on traffic management to prevent congestion and road crashes.
The zonal head warned personnel against leading political convoys or providing escorts for politicians, stressing that official vehicles must not be used for unauthorised purposes.
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