Nigeria: Nigerians See No Signs of Economic Growth - Labour

What the report says

Nigeria’s Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria said workers are seeing little or no evidence of economic progress, despite the federal government’s latest gross domestic product report. The union made the comments in Lagos during its South West zonal workshop, where its president, Shehu Mohammed, also raised alarm over higher petrol prices and the pressure on household budgets. The remarks were reported by Vanguard and distributed by AllAfrica.

Mohammed argued that the current N70,000 minimum wage has been weakened by inflation and does not match current living costs. He said civil servants should be better protected economically because their welfare affects broader public service and the wider economy. He also pointed to fuel costs above N1,000 as a consequence of subsidy removal and the fact that domestic refineries are not operating effectively, according to the report.

The article also quoted Festus Osifo, the immediate past president of PENGASSAN and current head of the Trade Union Congress, who said pay in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector should keep pace with inflation. He said protecting jobs and improving workers’ welfare should remain priorities for the industry.

The comments come amid continuing debate in Nigeria over inflation, fuel prices and wages. More broadly, labor groups have been pressing for pay reviews as the cost of living remains high, making the GDP discussion politically and socially significant for workers and policymakers.