The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-AFRICA: https://www.ituc-africa.org/) conveys warm courtesies to you and your government and wishes to draw attention to the subject.

Mr. President, the ITUC-Africa is a Pan-African trade union organisation representing over 17 million workers through national trade union centres as affiliates in 52 African countries, including Nigeria, with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) as its Nigerian affiliates.

We have received information from our two affiliates informing us of the failure in the national negotiating process to determine a new national minimum wage for the country. Additionally, our Nigerian affiliates have informed us that the government has not heeded their calls and appeals to reverse the electricity tariff to N65/Kwh. Further, our affiliates informed us that a strike notice had been issued should these demands go unaddressed. Sadly, this avoidable strike has now gone into effect.

Mr. President, we urge your government to demonstrate genuine and practical commitment to utilising good conscience and good faith in the negotiation process. We are convinced that a genuine commitment to reconvening the negotiation with the clear intentions of reaching an amicable and binding agreement is possible. This is because our affiliates have informed us of their readiness to return to the negotiation table immediately if your government avails the negotiation process of the right and necessary conditions.

Mr. President, the demands for electricity hike reversal and minimum wage review are legitimate and urgent. These demands become imperative as growing national inflation is further exacerbating the prevailing socioeconomic woes. We lend our voices to urge your government to graciously consider these requests as we fear that millions of Nigerian workers in the formal and informal economy, including women and the unemployed, will be driven further into endemic poverty. Citizens’ socioeconomic welfare and well-being, besides being some of the benefits of the social contract, are also ready dividends of people’s investment in democracy.

As we count on your goodwill to cause an urgent resolution of the current industrial impasse, we ask that you accept the assurance of our high regards.

Yours faithfully,
Akhator Joel Afolabi Odigie
General Secretary
ITUC-Africa