Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has sharply criticized the recently enacted tax law, describing it as regressive and urging an urgent review to protect workers and low-income earners.
Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja during the unveiling of the memoir of former NLC President Hassan Summonu, who was celebrating his 85th birthday, Ajaero pointed out that workers were intentionally excluded from the process of tax reform, despite being Nigeria’s primary taxpayers.
The tax laws were developed without the inclusion of Nigerian workers and the masses, who are the main contributors to our tax system,” he stated. “From the Presidential Committee on Tax, we knew that workers and the general populace were deliberately left out. We warned about the potential dangers, but our concerns were ignored. Now, the consequences are clear: laws that seem to deepen the hardship of workers and the poor have been enacted.”Ajaero emphasized that taxing those on the national minimum wage was neither just nor progressive. “Taxing workers earning the minimum wage is unfair.
Taxing the impoverished masses is regressive,” he declared.
The labour leader called on the Federal Government to halt and reconsider the legislation, warning that its continued enforcement could damage public trust in governance. “Pushing forward with this law is like wandering blindly in confusion. Persisting risks undermining our tax system and, ultimately, our democracy,” he warned.
He also urged the government to engage labour unions more effectively on policies affecting workers, including establishing the PENCOM Board and addressing wage issues ahead of the next national minimum wage negotiations.“Government should move from imposing burdens on the people to collaborating with them. Let’s build a democracy that not only guarantees political freedoms but also delivers economic liberation—where the nation’s wealth benefits its people,” Ajaero stated.
He reaffirmed the NLC’s commitment to advocating for workers’ welfare, saying:
We will continue to challenge those in power and fight for a Nigeria where no worker suffers from poverty, insecurity, excessive taxation, or a future burdened with national debt.”Growing calls among opposition groups and labour organizations for the suspension of the tax reform law reflect concerns that the policy could worsen economic hardship and provoke social unrest.