The Nigeria Labour Congress has given the Federal Government until October 27, 2026, to address demands for lower petrol prices and an upward review of the national minimum wage, warning that failure to act could trigger a nationwide shutdown of economic activities.

The union’s Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday following a meeting with the Minister of Labour.

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The NLC said its demands remained unresolved because the meeting did not produce concrete commitments from the Federal Government.

Among its key demands are a reduction in petrol prices, which the union said had reached as high as ₦1,429 per litre in some places, and an increase in the current ₦70,000 national minimum wage.

The union warned that workers and their allies could begin nationwide action if the government failed to respond by the deadline.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has given the Federal Government until October 27 to address workers’ demands, as failure will lead to a nationwide strike,” Upah said.

The labour movement has also directed its affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to begin mobilisation ahead of the proposed action.

The deadline comes amid concerns over the cost of living, with fuel prices and workers’ purchasing power remaining central to the union’s demands.

The NLC is seeking measures it says would ease the financial pressure on Nigerian workers and address concerns over the adequacy of the current minimum wage.

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With the October 27 deadline approaching, attention will be on whether the Federal Government reaches an agreement with organised labour to avert a possible disruption to economic activities nationwide.