Nigeria’s ruling party has used this year’s Workers’ Day to praise the country’s labour force while defending the economic reforms that have deepened short-term hardship for many households.
Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said Nigerian workers remained the “backbone of national progress”, commending their resilience and “endurance” amid mounting economic pressures.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Yilwatda paid tribute to workers across sectors, acknowledging the strain of current conditions but framing their perseverance as essential to the country’s recovery.
He reiterated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration was committed to policies aimed at improving worker welfare and long-term prosperity, describing the president as “worker-friendly” and attuned to labour’s role in nation-building.
The APC chair pointed to a series of controversial reforms — including the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of foreign exchange rates — as necessary steps to address deep-rooted structural weaknesses in the economy. He argued that these measures, alongside increased infrastructure spending, expanded social programmes and a renewed focus on industrialisation, were designed to stabilise the economy and attract investment.
While conceding that the transition has brought immediate challenges, Yilwatda said the government was rolling out targeted interventions to cushion the impact on vulnerable groups, insisting the sacrifices demanded of workers would ultimately yield a more inclusive and resilient economy.
“The gains of these reforms will be broadly shared,” he said, urging workers to remain patient and supportive of the government’s agenda.
His remarks come at a time of heightened public scrutiny over the cost of living, with inflation and currency pressures eroding purchasing power and fuelling discontent among organised labour.
Yilwatda called for unity and collective commitment to national development, expressing confidence that the current reforms would lay the foundation for sustainable growth.
He wished Nigerian workers a “fulfilling” Workers’ Day, extending prayers for their continued strength and prosperity.
