A leading presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, says Nigeria’s minimum wage can no longer guarantee even a modest standard of living amid worsening economic conditions.
In a message posted on X on Friday to commemorate Workers’ Day, the former Anambra governor attributed the decline in workers’ welfare to rising inflation, escalating food prices, transportation costs, and broader economic hardship.
Obi stressed that no country can outgrow the strength and wellbeing of its workforce, noting that national development is rooted in human capital, productivity, and the dedication of workers.
“When workers suffer, the nation suffers. When workers are empowered, the nation prospers,” he said.
The former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections added that a truly productive nation must be anchored on justice, fairness, and respect for labour.
“That is the Nigeria we must work together to achieve.”
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Obi also urged workers to recognise their collective power in shaping governance through democratic participation, describing their voice and vote as critical tools for national transformation.
“But beyond their labour, workers also possess another powerful tool, their voice and their vote.
“They owe it to themselves, their children, and future generations to support and demand leadership built on competence, character, capacity, credibility, and compassion. By refusing to reward failure, corruption, ethnic division, and bad governance, they can help build a nation where hard work is respected and rewarded with dignity.
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“With the support and participation of Nigerian workers, a new Nigeria is possible,” he said.
In the post titled ‘Workers Are the Backbone of Every Nation’, Obi paid tribute to workers globally, particularly Nigerians, for their resilience despite economic challenges.
“It is deeply painful that those who wake up every day to teach, heal, build, farm, produce, transport, protect, and serve our nation are still denied the dignity and fair reward their labour deserves.”
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) also has called on Nigerian workers to harness their electoral influence ahead of the 2027 general elections by supporting leaders committed to improving living standards through better wages and people-focused policies.
In a statement marking the 2026 Workers’ Day, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, emphasised the need for workers to move beyond symbolic recognition and actively shape the country’s political direction.
The party’s message comes at a time of increasing economic strain, with many Nigerians grappling with inflation, rising transport and energy costs, and a widening gap between earnings and living expenses.
Johnson stressed that workers must begin to assert their collective strength at the ballot box by backing candidates who prioritise their wellbeing.
“As we move further into this critical electoral cycle, the NNPP urges every worker, from the civil servant in the city to the labourer in the field, to recognise their collective power.
