President Bola Tinubu has appealed to labour unions across the country to exercise restraint in their push for industrial action, insisting that strikes should only be considered as a final option.

Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, at the 2026 Workers’ Day celebration held at Eagle Square in Abuja, the President said insecurity and poverty have become major national challenges undermining productivity and workers’ welfare. His message aligned with the International Labour Organisation’s Decent Work Agenda.

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the SGF, Yomi Odunuga, Tinubu told labour leaders and thousands of workers, including members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), that decent work cannot exist where workers live in fear or earn wages that cannot sustain their families.

The appeal comes at a time of heightened tension between labour unions and the Federal Government, with the NLC and TUC issuing ultimatums over delays in minimum wage implementation and worsening insecurity. The unions argue that these issues have disrupted farming, manufacturing, and market activities, contributing to job losses and rising hunger despite government interventions.

Tinubu acknowledged these challenges as serious obstacles to national stability and to the vision of a country where citizens can live and work in safety. However, he maintained that his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda is already producing results.

He pointed to initiatives such as the Community Protection Guards, which he said has recruited 45,000 youths to strengthen local security and create jobs. He also highlighted expanded cash transfer programmes reaching 15 million households, with about 7.5 million people lifted out of poverty.

On infrastructure, the President cited projects including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline, which he said have generated over 600,000 jobs. He also listed several welfare-related measures, including a new national minimum wage, settlement of pension arrears, gratuity payments scheduled from January 2026, micro-pension schemes for 800,000 informal workers, and a N200 billion MSME fund.

Despite these efforts, Tinubu directly appealed to organised labour to avoid rushing into strikes, warning that industrial action should not be the first response in resolving disputes. He encouraged sustained dialogue and called on unions to show understanding while commending security agencies for their role in improving safety conditions for economic activity.

The President also restated ongoing anti-poverty and agricultural programmes, including the National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro-pocket (NAGS-AP), dry season farming initiatives, mechanisation drives, post-harvest systems, Bank of Agriculture support, and the deployment of 10,000 NSCDC Agro-Rangers to protect farmers across 19 states.