RismadarVoice Reporters
November 2, 2026
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has questioned the suitability of individuals residing abroad while occupying national leadership positions in labour organisations.
Ajaero argued that leadership at the central level requires consistent engagement with members, participation in organisational activities and accessibility when important decisions affecting workers must be taken.
His remarks come amid an escalating disagreement between the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over representation, collective bargaining and the Federal Government’s ₦70,000 monthly transport allowance for workers.
The NLC president maintained that individuals holding national responsibilities should be available to coordinate activities, attend meetings and respond to challenges affecting their organisations.
The disagreement between the two labour centres intensified after the Federal Government announced a six-month transport allowance following negotiations with NLC representatives.
The TUC, led by Festus Osifo, rejected the arrangement, arguing that a permanent salary increase would provide more sustainable relief for workers facing rising living costs.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Ajaero defended the NLC’s negotiating position and questioned the TUC’s objections.
He argued that the NLC could negotiate independently on labour matters, citing principles of worker representation under the International Labour Organisation.
Ajaero also maintained that the TUC could participate in joint negotiations but disputed its authority to negotiate on behalf of the wider labour movement without the NLC.
However, Osifo rejected that interpretation, insisting that the TUC remained an independent labour centre with the right to negotiate for its members.
The TUC president challenged Ajaero to identify the international labour regulation supporting his claim that one labour centre could negotiate on behalf of another without consultation.
Osifo further argued that the temporary transport allowance did not adequately address workers’ financial difficulties and reiterated the TUC’s preference for an increase in salaries.
The disagreement has highlighted competing interpretations of representation and bargaining authority within Nigeria’s organised labour movement.
Ajaero’s reported comments about leaders residing abroad also raise questions about accessibility and accountability in national labour organisations.
However, no specific constitutional provision establishing a general prohibition against abroad-based labour leaders was identified in the available reports.
The NLC and TUC remain engaged in a wider dispute over workers’ welfare, negotiating authority and the appropriate response to rising living costs.
