2026: Issa Aremu Urges Governments, Stakeholders to Prioritise Labour Issues

The Director-General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, Comrade Issa Aremu, has called on governments and key stakeholders to take labour matters more seriously in 2026, stressing that labour remains a critical driver of wealth creation and national development.

Aremu, who also challenged organised labour to take itself seriously, made the call on Sunday in Ilorin while speaking with journalists as part of activities marking his 65th birthday.

He said labour creates wealth through several critical success factors and therefore must be deliberately motivated to enhance productivity and workplace discipline.

“Labour creates wealth through other critical success factors, therefore labour must be consciously motivated in return for labour productivity and workplace discipline,” he stressed.

The MINILS Director-General commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s labour record, particularly in the areas of mass job creation, job security, prompt payment of salaries and effective resolution of workplace disputes over the years.

Aremu recalled that among all the presidential candidates in 2022, Bola Tinubu uniquely mainstreamed labour in his reform agenda by creating a dedicated directorate to engage organised labour.

He noted that Tinubu had promised an administration where fiscal and monetary policies would work in favour of workers and Nigerians to improve their quality of life, adding that the President has lived up to that promise in the past two years.

According to him, while reactions to the ongoing reforms are “understandably mixed,” with “reform enthusiasts” supportive and “reform pessimists” sceptical, the far-reaching social and economic reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda have had a more positive impact on the labour market.

Aremu said these developments underscore the urgent need for labour and labour-related issues to be taken more seriously in 2026.

He emphasized that while governments and employers must prioritise labour, organised labour must also play its part by improving productivity, avoiding corruption and steering clear of disruptive work stoppages through collective bargaining and social dialogue.

He further observed that the Renewed Hope Agenda is deliberately job-led and job-protective, citing the creation of new public service institutions such as federal tertiary institutions, the Ministry of Livestock Development and regional development commissions, which he said have generated thousands of new jobs.

Aremu also highlighted the impact of the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), noting that the interest-free student loan initiative has already benefited millions of Nigerians seeking higher education.

In addition, he pointed to several legacy infrastructure projects, including the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, Trans-Saharan Highway (Calabar–Abakaliki axis), Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Expressway and the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, as major sources of job creation.

He said:
“The much debated Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project offers the possibilities of 10,000 direct jobs (engineers, construction workers) to 20,000–25,000 combined direct and indirect jobs (suppliers, logistics) during construction, plus many more induced jobs from increased economic activity, potentially benefiting over 30 million citizens by boosting trade, tourism, and connectivity across Nigeria’s coast.”

Beyond construction, Aremu noted that employment opportunities have also expanded in the manufacturing and energy sectors.

He cited reforms in the downstream petroleum sector, including the Naira-for-Crude policy, under which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) sells crude oil to local refineries in naira rather than dollars, aimed at reducing foreign exchange pressure, stabilising the naira and boosting local refining.

He said the policy has led to more secure jobs, lower fuel prices and improved energy self-sufficiency.

Aremu also highlighted the impact of the Dangote Refinery, describing it as the most significant private-sector investment in mass employment in recent years.

“Dangote Refinery is projected to create tens of thousands of jobs, with estimates ranging from 8,000 to over 100,000 direct and indirect roles, including 24,000 jobs from its CNG truck rollout, and significant numbers during construction, with plans to expand further. No private sector investment has boosted mass local employment like Dangote refinery in recent years,” he said.

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