On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Nigeria Labour Congress mobilized workers across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in an unprecedented show of dissent — not over wages, not over strikes, but over survival. At 11:15 a.m. in Abuja, hundreds marched from the NLC Headquarters to the Ministry of Finance junction, waving union flags and holding signs that cut through the noise of political spin: ‘End insecurity now’, ‘No more excuses’. The protest lasted barely 20 minutes. But its message? It echoed for miles.
‘The Working Class Is Dying Quietly’
It wasn’t just Abuja. In Anambra State, Humphrey Nwafor, the NLC’s state chairman, stood before a crowd of market traders, teachers, and transport workers and said: ‘Businesses are shutting down. Farmers can’t reach their fields. The cost of fuel is eating our salaries. And still, people are being kidnapped in broad daylight.’ His voice cracked. Not from emotion — from exhaustion.
The pattern was identical in Ekiti State, where Kolapo Olatunde declared: ‘Safety isn’t a privilege. It’s the first duty of government.’ In Borno State, workers joined journalists and artisans in Maiduguri — a city still haunted by Boko Haram’s ghosts — to warn that violence was returning. Yusuf Inuwa, the local NLC chair, put it bluntly: ‘We’re not protesting because we want to. We’re protesting because we have no choice.’
Dialogue, But Not Enough
The protests came just hours after a closed-door meeting between NLC President Joe Ajaero and President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night. Some expected the NLC to call off the march. They didn’t.
Ajaero made it clear: ‘This isn’t about undermining talks. It’s about making sure they mean something.’ He said Tinubu acknowledged the crisis, even promising that insecurity would become ‘a thing of the past.’ But promises don’t feed families. Dead bodies don’t wait for policy papers.
At the protest in Abuja, Comrade Bello told the crowd: ‘Our leaders are talking. But we’re still burying our children.’ The sentiment was unanimous: dialogue without action is just noise.
What the Government Is Missing
The NLC’s demands aren’t radical — they’re basic. More modern equipment for police and military. Better pay and welfare for frontline personnel. Coordinated intelligence sharing between agencies. And crucially: arresting those funding terror networks. Oluseyi Olatunde, head of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees in Ekiti, said it best: ‘What we’re seeing isn’t a security failure. It’s a leadership failure.’
And the cost? It’s measurable. A recent NLC survey found that 68% of small businesses in the North Central region closed at least one day a week in 2025 due to road insecurity. Agricultural output in the Middle Belt dropped 22% year-over-year. Fuel prices have climbed 34% since January — not because of oil policy, but because convoys now require armed escorts, and those costs get passed to consumers.
Meanwhile, inflation hit 32.4% in November — the highest in 27 years. But here’s the cruel twist: the poorest 40% of households now spend over 80% of their income on food and transport. Insecurity isn’t just killing people. It’s starving them.
What’s Next? The February 4 Warning
And this isn’t over. On February 3, 2025, the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria issued a security alert: another nationwide protest is planned for February 4, 2025 — this time over proposed hikes in telecom tariffs. Demonstrations are expected near Eagle Square in Abuja between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m.
The NLC says telecoms are part of the same crisis. When people can’t afford to call relatives, when farmers can’t check market prices, when parents can’t reach hospitals — that’s not a tariff issue. That’s a survival issue.
The NLC expects a formal meeting with President Tinubu and the National Administrative Council by January 2026. But time is running out. Workers aren’t asking for miracles. They’re asking for the state to do its job.
Why This Matters Beyond Nigeria
This isn’t just a Nigerian story. It’s a global warning. When the labor movement — traditionally focused on wages and conditions — turns its fury toward state failure on security, it signals a collapse of trust deeper than any election result. In Brazil, in South Africa, in Kenya — similar protests have erupted when governments prioritized optics over outcomes.
Nigeria has the resources. It has the manpower. What it lacks is the political will to treat security like a public good — not a political bargaining chip. The workers on the streets know this. So do the mothers in Kano, the farmers in Benue, the traders in Port Harcourt.
They’re not angry because they’re radical. They’re angry because they’re tired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the NLC protest after meeting President Tinubu?
The NLC met with President Tinubu on December 16, 2025, but felt his assurances were too vague. Protests were planned for weeks, and the union saw the meeting as a chance to amplify pressure, not cancel it. Joe Ajaero emphasized that dialogue without visible action is meaningless to workers losing livelihoods daily.
How is insecurity directly affecting ordinary Nigerians’ incomes?
Businesses are closing due to road insecurity, reducing jobs. Farmers can’t reach markets, cutting food supply and raising prices. Transport costs have surged 34% since January because convoys need armed escorts. Inflation hit 32.4% in November, and the poorest households now spend over 80% of income on basics — a direct result of insecurity disrupting supply chains.
What specific demands did the NLC make to the government?
The NLC demanded modern equipment for security forces, better pay and welfare for police and military, coordinated intelligence between agencies, and arrests of individuals funding terrorist networks. They also called for an end to political delays and a clear timeline for security reforms — not just promises.
Why is the February 4 protest about telecom tariffs?
The NLC argues that rising telecom costs — which could hike data and call rates — will further cripple low-income households. With inflation already at 32.4%, many Nigerians rely on mobile phones for business, healthcare access, and family communication. A tariff hike isn’t just an economic issue — it’s a threat to survival.
Is this protest movement growing beyond labor unions?
Yes. In Borno, NLC members marched alongside journalists, artisans, and civil society groups. In Anambra and Ekiti, students and teachers joined. The protests are becoming a broader national outcry — not just from workers, but from citizens who feel abandoned by the state. This is no longer just a labor issue. It’s a civic emergency.
What happens if the government ignores these protests?
If no concrete action follows the January 2026 meeting, the NLC has hinted at escalating tactics — including sector-wide strikes in transport, education, and health. With public trust at historic lows, and youth unemployment at 43%, the risk of broader civil unrest is real. The government’s next move won’t just affect workers — it could determine Nigeria’s stability for years.
