As Nigeria marks Workers’ Day, the Grassroots Center for Rights & Civic Orientation (GCRCO), a leading rights organisation has called for immediate government action to address Nigeria’s deepening economic crisis, warning that workers across all sectors are struggling to survive.
In a statement by the group Executive Director, Armsfree Ajanaku, expressed solidarity with Nigerian workers, including teachers, healthcare staff, civil servants, and informal traders, while urging authorities to implement policies that reduce poverty and improve living standards.
A recent World Bank report highlighted Nigeria’s alarming poverty levels despite its vast resources, projecting a further 3.6% increase in poverty by 2027. The GCRCO noted that even last year’s minimum wage increase to N70,000 (about £45 per month) has been rendered ineffective by skyrocketing food and transport prices.
“The current wage is no longer enough for basic survival,” said Armsfree Ajanaku, the group’s Executive Director. “Workers need a realistic income that reflects today’s economic realities.”
Small and medium-sized businesses, crucial for job creation, are also collapsing under high operational costs, worsening unemployment.
The group advised federal and state governments to prioritise workers’ welfare by introducing structured poverty alleviation programmes, improving healthcare and education, and ensuring the N70,000 minimum wage is fully implemented.
“Other nations have lifted millions out of poverty through deliberate policies, Nigeria must do the same,” Ajanaku said. “This requires accountability, transparency, and genuine political will.”
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