Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has expressed serious concerns regarding the Tinubu administration's apparent disconnection from organised labour. During a recent episode of the Mic On Podcast, Ajaero stated that the government has consistently failed to engage with the NLC, describing it as "aloof" and unresponsive to the congress's attempts to initiate dialogue.

Ajaero's remarks come in the wake of the NLC's plans for a nationwide protest scheduled for December 17, 2025. He revealed that the congress had made numerous efforts to communicate with President Bola Tinubu's administration between May and December 2025, but these attempts went unanswered. "For the past two to three years, it’s not government that is engaging. This government doesn’t engage," Ajaero noted, highlighting the frustration felt by labour leaders.

The NLC president further elaborated that the government only seems to react when labour unions publicly voice their grievances. "It’s only when people engage; they now say A, B, C, D. So they are aloof," he added. This lack of proactive engagement has led to increased tensions between the NLC and the federal government, particularly following a recent three-day warning strike by public servants under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC).

The warning strike was a response to the government's failure to address critical issues, including the demand to reduce petrol prices to N500 per litre and the approval of a new wage award for workers. Ajaero indicated that despite some intervention from state governors, which led to a brief meeting between labour leaders and the government, meaningful engagement has been scarce since then.

"And after that, some governors intervened, and we had an interface. So some governors met with us, and since that time, we have talked once or twice," he explained. However, he lamented that the government has continued its activities without addressing the pressing issues raised by organised labour. "Those issues, from December last year to now, they are just doing their business. Everybody is their enemy," he stated, emphasizing the growing frustration within the labour community.

As the planned protest date approaches, the NLC is standing firm on its demands, calling for the government to take immediate action to resolve the ongoing disputes. The situation remains tense as both sides appear to be at an impasse, raising concerns about potential escalations in labour unrest across the nation.