RismadarVoice Reporters, May 1, 2026
Local government workers in Borno State staged a protest in Maiduguri on Friday, decrying the non-implementation of the N70,000 national minimum wage for council employees.
The demonstration, led by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), formed part of activities marking this year’s International Workers’ Day.
Protesters carried placards and chanted solidarity slogans, drawing attention to what they described as worsening economic hardship among local government staff.
Addressing journalists during the march, Borno State NLC Chairman, Yusuf Inuwa, said the decision to take to the streets underscored the depth of frustration among workers.
“We all know the situation we find ourselves in this country. Nigerian workers are the poorest citizens in this country. Therefore, we chose to celebrate our Workers’ Day on the street,” he said.
Inuwa noted that while the state government had implemented the new wage for primary school teachers and healthcare workers, a significant number of local government employees remained excluded.
“Their salary cannot even sustain them for one week. We say enough is enough,” he added, invoking the labour movement’s rallying call: “An injury to one is an injury to all.”
The protest comes amid ongoing concerns over the financial capacity of local councils in the state. The Borno State Government had earlier attributed delays in implementing the new wage to the large workforce across its 27 local government areas, estimated at 90,000 employees.
Workers, however, insist that administrative challenges should not come at the expense of their welfare, warning that continued delays could escalate tensions between labour unions and the state authorities.
