By RismadarVoice Media , December 11, 2025
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced a nationwide protest scheduled for December 17, 2025 – citing escalating insecurity, deteriorating tertiary education, prolonged health sector strikes, and what it described as political interference in the Labour Party.
The announcement followed a meeting of the NLC’s National Executive Council held at the union’s Sub-Secretariat in Yaba, Lagos, on, December 4, 2025.
“The Council is deeply worried about the worsening security situation across the country,” the union said in a statement, citing the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State on November 17, during which two staff members were killed.
The NLC criticized the withdrawal of security personnel prior to the attack, warning that kidnappings targeting schoolchildren have reached a dangerous level, requiring urgent government intervention.
The NLC highlighted growing economic hardship, referencing the World Bank Nigeria Development Update (October 2025), which reported that approximately 139 million Nigerians, representing 61–62% of the population, now live in poverty.
The union called on the government to protect schools, particularly in remote, high-risk areas, and to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for security lapses.
The union also sounded the alarm over the state of tertiary education, describing university infrastructure as decaying, teaching, research resources as outdated, and staff allowances are frequently unpaid.
The NLC demanded fair pay for all university workers, acknowledging the varied needs of different professional groups.
The council reviewed the ongoing strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions, which began on November 14, 2025, expressing concern over some nurses abandoning the action.
It warned that the NLC and its affiliates could join the strike fully if negotiations with the government collapse.
On the political front, the NLC announced the revival of the Labour–Civil Society Coalition to strengthen collaboration on national issues.
The union also condemned interference by the Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee in the Labour Party, said it would withdraw its members from the committees, pursuing alliances with parties that support working-class principles.
The NLC stressed that the planned mass protest is necessary to draw attention to government failures on security, economic hardship, industrial disputes, and political integrity.
“We are compelled to act decisively to ensure that voices of workers and citizens are heard,” the statement concluded.
The protest is expected to be nationwide, targeting key government offices, urban centers, and strategic locations across Nigeria.
