Tinubu, labour continue talks as NLC defers decision on strike

By : Terhemba Daka

Date: 17 December 2025 10:33am WAT

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Consultations between President Bola Tinubu and organised labour continued on Tuesday night, with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) indicating that any final decision on its proposed industrial action would only emerge after further internal deliberations.

The labour leaders met President Tinubu behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid heightened public attention over possible protests and strike action. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, described the engagement as a consultation rather than a conclusive negotiation, stressing that labour’s leadership would first brief its internal organs before making any public pronouncement. “We came for consultation with the President, and we are finished, so we have to go back to our meeting and then continue tomorrow,” Ajaero said. “By tomorrow, we will get the outcome.”

Pressed on whether the NLC was still insisting on proceeding with its planned protest, Ajaero declined to commit either way, emphasising that decisions within the congress are collective and not driven by individuals. “If I’m insisting or not insisting, I will communicate that to you,” he said. “It is not an organisation that one person rules. We will go back to the drawing board, digest all that Mr. President said to us, and move forward from there.” Also present at the meeting was the Imo State Governor and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodinma, who said sustained dialogue remained the preferred option for resolving outstanding issues between labour and government.

“Consultation is going on. We were dialoguing, and like His Excellency said, at the end of the day, you will know what you are supposed to know and what you want to know,” Uzodinma said. Responding to questions on what Nigerians should expect from the engagement, the governor said all parties were acting in the broader national interest. “We are here to serve the country, the labour, the government and the governed. We are all working in service to the nation,” he added.

The Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, who also addressed journalists after the meeting, said labour leaders welcomed the opportunity to engage the President directly and were reassured by the discussions. “They are citizens who are also members of the NLC. They wanted to see Mr. President, and they’ve seen Mr. President,” Onyejeocha said. “They are happy they’ve had firsthand engagement and that at least the President has driven the economy out of the woods. It is very good news.”

The consultations come at a time of heightened tension over economic pressures and labour demands, with Nigerians closely watching for clarity on whether industrial action will proceed. Labour leaders are expected to reconvene their internal meetings, after which a clearer position on the next steps is likely to be announced.

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