As Nigeria marks International Workers’ Day 2026, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA has urged government at all levels to implement people-focused reforms to address the worsening economic conditions facing workers.
In a statement issued on Thursday, CAPPA said the commemoration comes at a time when many Nigerians are grappling with rising living costs, stagnant wages, and declining social protections, factors it noted are eroding workers’ quality of life and productivity.
The organisation’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said May Day should serve as a moment for serious reflection rather than ceremonial observance.
“May Day should not be reduced to ceremonial speeches. It must be a moment of reckoning. For millions of Nigerian workers, survival has become a daily negotiation with inflation, rising rents, and shrinking real incomes,” he said.
CAPPA highlighted the growing housing crisis in major urban centres such as Lagos and Abuja, noting that escalating rent prices are pushing average earners out of cities.
It expressed concern over reports of public sector workers, including university lecturers, resorting to sleeping in offices due to unaffordable accommodation.
The group also criticised recent government decisions on land allocation to political appointees, warning that such actions could deepen inequality and erode public trust, especially at a time when many Nigerians are struggling with housing access.
While acknowledging ongoing efforts to review the national minimum wage, CAPPA argued that wage increases alone are insufficient without measures to curb inflation, regulate housing costs, and improve access to essential services.
“An increase in wages that is immediately swallowed by rent hikes, transport costs, and food inflation offers little real relief,” the statement noted.
The organisation further raised concerns about the declining state of public services, including healthcare, education, and transportation, which it said are forcing workers to rely on more expensive private alternatives.
To address these challenges, CAPPA called for a comprehensive national housing strategy focused on affordable rental schemes, stronger labour protections, and increased investment in social services.
It also advocated fiscal policies that prioritise public welfare, including reinvestment of revenues into healthcare, education, and transport systems.
CAPPA urged labour unions, civil society groups, and policymakers to use the May Day platform to push for accountability and reforms that place workers at the centre of national development.
“A nation that neglects its workers undermines its own future,” the organisation said, calling for urgent and sustained action to reverse current economic pressures on Nigerian workers.
