society
Hungry Wages, Silenced Voices: Nigerian Workers Mark May Day in Anguish, Not Celebration
Hungry Wages, Silenced Voices: Nigerian Workers Mark May Day in Anguish, Not Celebration
As Nigerian workers join millions worldwide to mark International Workers’ Day today, 1 May 2025, the air is heavy with disillusionment rather than celebration.
With the theme “Reclaiming the Civic Space Amid Economic Hardship,” this year’s commemoration starkly captures the desperation of a labour force grappling with historic inflation, mass layoffs, wage stagnation, and government indifference.
Across Nigeria, workers say they are not just fighting for fair pay—they are fighting to survive.
A Minimum Wage That Feels Meaningless
Despite the federal government’s 2024 approval of a N70,000 minimum wage, most workers have yet to benefit. BudgIT data reveals that only 13 states have implemented the policy as of April 2025, while millions of public and private sector workers continue to earn below N40,000 monthly.
“I teach in a government primary school in Oyo State and still earn N33,000,” said Adewale Johnson, a father of three. “Even food prices have doubled. What do they expect us to survive on?”
His concern is echoed nationwide as workers watch their purchasing power disintegrate. In March, the National Bureau of Statistics recorded headline inflation at 33.2%, with food inflation soaring to 40.01%.
A February 2025 survey by SBM Intelligence found that 78% of workers earning N70,000 or less could not meet basic monthly needs such as food and transportation.
“Even where the minimum wage is paid, it is no longer enough,” said Comrade Oyinkansola Olasanoye, former Deputy President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC). “This is not just about salaries—it is about dignity, justice, and survival.”
Olasanoye decried the crumbling public services that force workers to spend their meagre earnings on private education, healthcare, and housing.
“A raise means nothing when workers must fend for themselves in every area of life,” she said. “It’s a vicious cycle that deepens poverty.”
She also warned that democratic freedoms were under threat: “Union leaders are blackmailed, voices are silenced, and civic space is shrinking. Reclaiming it is non-negotiable.”
Mass Layoffs and Job Insecurity
In addition to poor wages, mass retrenchments have further destabilized the workforce. A joint report by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and TUC revealed that over 500,000 formal jobs were lost in 2024 due to economic downturns, currency instability, and falling consumer demand.
Sectors worst hit include manufacturing, oil and gas, banking, fintech, and logistics.
“In 2024, we had 120 staff. Today, we are down to 35,” said Chinyere Ofor, an HR manager at a Lagos-based manufacturing firm. “Operating costs have tripled.”
NLC Lagos Chairperson Funmi Sessi painted an even bleaker picture: “Accommodation, transportation, healthcare, feeding—everything is getting worse. And the government is not doing enough to intervene.”
Sessi accused successive governments of failing Nigerian workers and warned the current administration not to repeat the cycle of neglect. “The suffering is too much. Nigerians are groaning. Workers are tired. Leaders must act—now.”
She also called on citizens to play their part: “We need to stop exploiting one another. If you sell something for triple its value, you’re contributing to the hardship.”
Precarious Work and Legal Vacuum
According to the International Labour Organization’s 2024 report, more than 65% of Nigerian workers are in precarious or informal jobs with no legal protection or job security. Experts say Nigeria’s Labour Act of 2004 is outdated and poorly enforced.
Dr. Kehinde Omotosho, a labour rights analyst, noted, “Most companies face no consequences for violating labour laws. Workers can’t afford legal battles, and enforcement is weak.”
Only 28% of Nigerian workers have signed employment contracts, a 2023 report by the Centre for Labour Studies found, exposing millions to abuse and exploitation.
Pension Crisis Adds to Worker Despair
Even for retirees, the future remains uncertain. The National Pension Commission (PenCom) reports over N15 billion in unpaid pensions as of Q4 2024.
“I retired in 2021 and have yet to receive a single naira,” said Bashir Musa, a former local government health officer in Bauchi. “They say my file is still ‘processing’.”
The situation is even more dire in the informal sector, where over 40 million Nigerians remain excluded from formal pension schemes. PenCom’s Micro Pension Plan, launched to cover informal workers, has only enrolled 100,000 individuals by early 2025.
A Call for National Unity
Despite the grim realities, labour leaders are urging workers and citizens alike to resist despair.
“The TUC is not passive. They are strategic,” said Olasanoye. “But they need support. This is not just their fight—it’s all of ours.”
As Nigeria’s working class marks this symbolic day, one thing is clear: the cries from the shop floors, classrooms, clinics, and construction sites are no longer just for fair wages—they are a demand for justice, dignity, and a future worth working for.
society
Ramadan: Adron Homes Felicitates Muslims, Preaches Hope and Unity
Ramadan: Adron Homes Felicitates Muslims, Preaches Hope and Unity
Adron Homes & Properties Limited has congratulated Muslim faithful on the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan, urging Nigerians to embrace the virtues of sacrifice, discipline, and compassion that define the season.
In a statement made available to journalists, the company described Ramadan as a period of deep reflection, spiritual renewal, and strengthened devotion to faith and humanity.
According to the management, the holy month represents values that align with the organisation’s commitment to integrity, resilience, and community development.
“Ramadan is a time that teaches patience, generosity, and selflessness. As our Muslim customers and partners begin the fast, we pray that their sacrifices are accepted and that the season brings peace, joy, and renewed hope to their homes and the nation at large,” the statement read.
The firm reaffirmed its dedication to providing affordable and accessible housing solutions to Nigerians, noting that building homes goes beyond structures to creating environments where families can thrive.
Adron Homes further urged citizens to use the period to pray for national unity, economic stability, and sustainable growth.
It wished all Muslim faithful a spiritually fulfilling Ramadan.
Ramadan Mubarak.
society
Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com
“Fiscal Rigidity in a Time of Crisis: Lawmakers Say Fixed Budget Ceilings Are Crippling Nigeria’s Fight Against Insurgency, Banditry, and Organized Crime.”
Nigeria’s legislature has issued a stark warning: the envelope budgeting system; a fiscal model that caps spending for ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) is inadequate to meet the country’s escalating security challenges. Lawmakers and budget analysts argue that rigid fiscal ceilings are undermining the nation’s ability to confront insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, separatist violence, oil theft and maritime insecurity.
The warning emerged during the 2026 budget defence session for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) at the National Assembly in Abuja. Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC‑Kebbi North), chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, decried the envelope system, noting that security agencies “have been subject to the vagaries of the envelope system rather than to genuine needs and requirements.” The committee highlighted non-release or partial release of capital funds from previous budgets, which has hindered procurement, intelligence and operational capacity.
Nigeria faces a multi‑front security crisis: persistent insurgency in the North‑East, banditry and kidnappings across the North‑West and North‑Central, separatist tensions in the South‑East, and piracy affecting Niger Delta oil production. Despite declarations of a national security emergency by President Bola Tinubu, lawmakers point to a “disconnect” between rhetoric and the actual fiscal support for agencies tasked with enforcement.
Experts warn that security operations demand flexibility and rapid resource allocation. Dr. Amina Bello, a public finance specialist, said: “A static budget in a dynamic threat environment is like sending firefighters with water jugs to a forest fire. You need flexibility, not fixed ceilings, to adapt to unforeseen developments.”
The Permanent Secretary of Special Services at ONSA, Mohammed Sanusi, detailed operational consequences: irregular overhead releases, unfulfilled capital appropriations, and constrained foreign service funds. These fiscal constraints have weakened intelligence and covert units, hampering surveillance, cyber‑security, counter‑terrorism and intelligence sharing.
Delayed capital releases have stalled critical projects, including infrastructure upgrades and surveillance systems. Professor Kolawole Adeyemi, a governance expert, emphasized that “budgeting for security must allow for rapid reallocation in response to threats that move faster than political cycles. Envelope budgeting lacks this essential flexibility.”
While the National Assembly advocates fiscal discipline, lawmakers stress that security funding requires strategic responsiveness. Speaker Abbas Ibrahim underscored that security deserves “prominent and sustained attention” in the 2026 budget, balancing oversight with operational needs.
In response, the Senate committee plans to pursue reforms, including collaboration with the executive to restructure funding, explore supplementary budgets and ensure predictable and sufficient resources for security agencies. Experts warn that without reform, criminal networks will exploit these gaps, eroding public trust.
As one policy analyst summarized: “A nation declares a security emergency; but if its budget does not follow with real resources and oversight, the emergency remains rhetorical.” Nigeria’s debate over envelope budgeting is more than an accounting dispute; it is a contest over the nation’s security priorities and its commitment to safeguarding citizens.
society
Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrates as She Marks Her Birthday
Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrates as She Marks Her Birthday
Today, the world and the body of Christ rise in celebration of a rare vessel of honour, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba, fondly known as Eritosin, as she marks her birthday.
Born a special child with a divine mark of grace, Rev. Mother Eritosin’s journey in God’s vineyard spans several decades of steadfast service, spiritual depth, and undeniable impact. Those who know her closely describe her as a prophetess with a heart of gold — a woman whose calling is not worn as a title, but lived daily through compassion, discipline, humility, and unwavering faith.
From her early days in ministry, she has touched lives across communities, offering spiritual guidance, prophetic insight, and motherly counsel. Many testify that through her prayers and teachings, they encountered God in a deeply personal and transformative way. Near and far, her influence continues to echo — not only within church walls, but in homes, families, and destinies reshaped through her mentorship.
A mother in every sense of the word, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba embodies nurture and correction in equal measure. As a grandmother, she remains energetic in purpose — accommodating the wayward, embracing the rejected, and holding firmly to the belief that no soul is beyond redemption. Her life’s mission has remained consistent: to lead many to Christ and guide them into the light of a new beginning.
Deeply rooted within the C&S Unification, she stands tall as a spiritual pillar in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church globally. Her dedication to holiness, unity, and prophetic service has earned her widespread respect as a spiritual matriarch whose voice carries both authority and humility.
As she celebrates another year today, tributes continue to pour in from spiritual sons and daughters, church leaders, and admirers who see in her a living reflection of grace in action.
Prayer for Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin)
May the Almighty God, who called you from birth and anointed you for His service, continually strengthen you with divine health and renewed vigour.
May your oil never run dry, and may your prophetic mantle grow heavier with greater glory.
May the lives you have nurtured rise to call you blessed.
May your latter years be greater than the former, filled with peace, honour, and the visible rewards of your labour in God’s vineyard.
May heaven continually back your prayers, and may your light shine brighter across nations.
Happy Birthday to a true Mother in Israel — Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin).
More years.
More anointing.
More impact.
If you want this adapted for a newspaper page, church bulletin, Facebook post, or birthday flyer, just tell me the format and tone.
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