Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for urgent wage reviews and broad economic reforms in Nigeria, warning that worsening economic conditions are eroding the value of labour and increasing hardship for citizens.
In a Workers’ Day message shared on Friday via his social media handle, Obi commended Nigerian workers across various sectors, describing them as the backbone of national survival and development.
He said workers continue to sustain families, institutions, and the national economy despite severe economic challenges, rising inflation, and uncertainty.
Obi expressed concern that wages have continued to lose value due to the persistent rise in the cost of living, particularly food, transportation, and other essential goods and services.
He argued that the current minimum wage can no longer guarantee a decent standard of living for many Nigerian workers, stressing that inflation has significantly weakened purchasing power.
According to him, those who contribute daily through teaching, healthcare, construction, agriculture, transport, security, and other sectors deserve fair compensation and dignity.
Obi also emphasized that no nation can develop beyond the strength and well-being of its workforce, noting that national progress depends heavily on how workers are treated and empowered.
Beyond economic concerns, he urged Nigerians to take active roles in shaping governance by supporting leadership that reflects competence, character, capacity, credibility, and compassion.
He further called for a fairer and more just society where labour is respected and properly rewarded, insisting that such reforms are essential for national development.
Obi concluded that a productive nation must be built on fairness and justice for workers, adding that Nigeria’s progress depends on collective efforts to achieve meaningful reform.