President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday described insecurity and poverty as national emergencies, warning that both challenges continue to undermine workers’ welfare, productivity and economic growth.
Speaking at the 2026 May Day celebration at Eagle Square, the President said decent work cannot thrive in an environment where citizens live in fear and wages are insufficient to meet basic needs.
Represented by George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Tinubu aligned his remarks with the global Workers’ Day focus on the International Labour Organization Decent Work Agenda.
“There cannot be decent work where workers fear for their lives, where wages cannot feed a family, or where insecurity disrupts farms, factories and markets,” he said.
The President acknowledged that insecurity and widespread poverty remain major obstacles to national development but assured that his administration is implementing targeted measures under its Renewed Hope Agenda.
He disclosed that the Community Protection Guards Initiative has recruited about 45,000 young Nigerians to strengthen grassroots security while creating jobs.
Tinubu also said social protection programmes, including expanded cash transfers, now cover about 15 million vulnerable households, adding that government estimates indicate nearly 7.5 million Nigerians have been lifted out of poverty.
On infrastructure, he cited projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline, which he said have collectively generated over 600,000 jobs nationwide.
Addressing workers’ welfare, the President said his administration has implemented a new national minimum wage, cleared pension arrears and resumed gratuity payments effective January 2026.
He added that more than 800,000 informal sector workers have been enrolled in the micro-pension scheme, while small businesses are benefiting from a N200 billion intervention fund for micro, small and medium enterprises.
Tinubu further highlighted efforts in agriculture, including mechanisation, dry-season farming and the deployment of 10,000 Agro-Rangers across 19 states to enhance farmer security.
He urged labour unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, to prioritise dialogue over strikes, stressing that industrial action should be a last resort.
