The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans to intensify its campaign for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage, insisting that the welfare of pensioners must form part of the conversation.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made this known at an event organised by the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in Abuja.

Ajaero said organised labour was already making preparations for a nationwide struggle aimed at securing an upward review of the minimum wage, while stressing that pensioners should not be excluded from discussions on workers’ welfare.

“The Nigeria Union of Pensioners is one of the proud affiliates of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Therefore, your struggle is our struggle, and your welfare remains a priority for the organised labour movement,” he said.

He noted that it was no longer acceptable to focus solely on the welfare of serving workers without giving equal attention to those who had completed their years of active service.

“We are currently in the preparatory stages for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage.

“However, let me state unequivocally that it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service,” Ajaero stated.

The NLC president also urged Nigerian workers and pensioners to brace for the ideological and economic battles ahead, reaffirming the labour movement’s commitment to defending the interests and welfare of both groups.