The Nigeria Labour Congress has given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to set up the governing board of the National Pension Commission and return what it called diverted workers’ funds from the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.
In a communiqué signed by its president, Joe Ajaero, the labour body said the decision was reached at its Central Working Committee meeting held on Wednesday, August 13, 2025. The meeting, according to the statement, discussed urgent matters affecting Nigerian workers, the trade union movement, and the nation.
It said the issues included a leadership crisis in the Edo State council of the NLC, a governance vacuum in PENCOM, and what it described as alarming developments in the NSITF.
The communiqué accused the government of taking 40 percent of workers’ contributions and diverting them into the national treasury as revenue. It said this was a breach of the statutes establishing the NSITF.
“Equally condemnable is the new administration’s false claim of ownership of the NLC National Headquarters, a property owned by Nigerian workers; the resort to cyber and media bullying of the trade unions and leadership, coupled with covert moves to amend the NSITF Act in a manner that would disenfranchise workers and give the government full control over the funds,” the statement read.
It warned that such actions were an attack on workers’ rights, their resources, and the tripartite governance principle recognised under international labour standards.
Ajaero said, “The NSITF must account for and return all diverted funds within seven working days from today. The PENCOM board must be properly constituted in full compliance with the law within seven working days from today. The Pension Commission must submit to the NLC a full status report of the funds within the same period. If at the end of these seven working days, nothing is done, the NLC will no longer guarantee industrial peace in the sector.”
