Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero has declared that arrests, intimidation, and harassment will not weaken the resolve of organised labour in its campaign for workers’ rights and economic justice. Speaking after receiving a major international honour, he said the labour movement remains committed to challenging policies and actions that worsen the living conditions of Nigerian workers.
Ajaero made the remarks in Oslo, Norway, while accepting the 2026 Arthur Svensson International Award, widely regarded as one of the world’s most respected labour movement recognitions. The award honours individuals and organisations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to advancing workers’ rights and social justice.
Receiving the Labour movement award, Ajaero accused Nigerian authorities of using fear, surveillance, arrests, and other tactics to suppress labour activism. He argued that workers advocating for improved wages and living standards have increasingly become targets of state actions.
The NLC president recounted what he described as years of persecution linked to his role in labour advocacy. According to him, these experiences included detention, repeated interrogations, surveillance, and allegations ranging from cybercrime to treason.
“I stand before you today not as a man, but as a symbol, a true symbol of millions of Nigerian workers who wake up every morning not just to the smell of tear gas, the sound of sirens, and the cold silence of a state that preys on its own people but who go to work hungry and come back hungrier, more emasculated than before they left for work,” he said.
Ajaero described the Labour movement award as a symbol of international solidarity rather than a personal achievement. He said the recognition represented the struggles of workers facing economic hardship and social injustice.
“I receive this Arthur Svensson International Award not as a trophy, not as a ribbon to hang on a lapel. Not at all. I receive it as a weapon,” he stated.
He further alleged that labour leaders have faced pressure for demanding fair wages and improved welfare for workers. According to him, advocating for a living wage in Nigeria has increasingly attracted official scrutiny and resistance.
Ajaero also recounted personal experiences, including an incident in which his Lagos residence was destroyed by fire. He further claimed he was abducted, detained, and questioned over labour-related activities, while security agencies repeatedly invited him for interrogation.
The NLC leader alleged that labour offices had been raided and picket lines disrupted by heavily armed security personnel. He maintained that workers have continued to face challenges despite rising inflation and declining purchasing power.
Despite these experiences, Ajaero insisted that organised labour would remain resilient. He argued that workers remain central to economic productivity and possess the collective strength to defend their interests.
“They have the jails, the guns and the instruments of fear. However, we have the power; the power to stop the world because we move the world. We create wealth. We are workers,” he said.
The Labour movement award comes at a time when debates over wages, inflation, and workers’ welfare remain prominent across Nigeria. Labour leaders continue to advocate for policies they believe will improve living standards and protect workers from the effects of economic hardship.
Ajaero concluded by stressing that solidarity remains the movement’s greatest strength. According to him, attempts to silence workers only strengthen their determination to continue the struggle for fairness, dignity, and economic justice.
