An inclusive labour education that would be held regularly for workers and employers of labour, as well as government officials, has been described as a veritable tool for a sustainable crisis-free Renewed Hope Reform Agenda of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This was the consensus of the participants at the just concluded 2024 10th National Labour Relations Summit (NLRS) of the Premier Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) in Ilorin, which was declared open by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment, Hon. Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

MINILS National Labour Relations Summit, which spans a decade, is the largest gathering of the critical mass of stakeholders in Nigeria’s labour relations system. Thousands of participants had attended past summits with the distinguished presence of labour leaders, ministers, governors, and local and international partners in the labour market.

No fewer than 600 participants were featured in the 2024 Summit themed: “The Future of Work and Renewed Hope Reform Agenda”, which deliberated on the impact of reform on employment issues with the main objective of promoting industrial harmony, social justice in workplaces and productivity for national development.

In his address at the Summit, the Director-General of MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu, stressed the
need for a veritable platform to “regularly but constructively” assess the impact of the Renewed Hope Agenda Reform, following “legitimate mixed reactions” by the people about the reform. trailed President Tinubu’s reform measures, there was the need for a veritable platform to “regularly but constructively” assess the impact of the reform.

Comrade Aremu, however, hailed President Tinubu for what he called the “audacity of reform” which necessitated “the controversial immediate removal of the Trillion-naira per annum subsidy payment on petrol products and liberalisation of the foreign exchange market”.

The Labour Icon added that the ongoing national and international debates on the imperatives of reform in the country were “healthy” for the country.

“It is good that inclusive issues of development and growth now feature in Nigeria’s discourse with reform enthusiasts pointing to the emerging benefits and reforms sceptics alluding to the adverse effects of rising inflation and worsening wage income poverty,” he said.

The Director General said: “MINILS offers a veritable platform to constructively promote social dialogue on how to maximise the benefits of the Reform Agenda and minimise the adverse impacts, adding that genuine reforms must undergo quality control”, and have a win-win outcome on the future of work, with respect to job creation, productivity, wage improvement and industrial harmony for prosperous Nigeria by all stakeholders.”

Aremu commended the administration of President Tinubu and the organised labour for the constructive engagements that have mitigated the adverse impact of reforms on costs of living, transportation and wages of the workers, following labour’s legitimate protests and concerns.

He said; “Unlike the reform under President Olusegun Obasanjo which led to indiscriminate mass retrenchment of public employees, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commendably retained jobs in the public sector like the former President Muhammed Buhari who despite COVID-19 retained jobs and paid public servants under the global lockdown.

“Significantly, President Tinubu paid a Presidential wage award of N35,000 to federal workers for six months and a cash transfer of N25,000.00 monthly to 15 million of the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians for three months.

“The most historic is the enactment of 2024 3-year cycle National Minimum Wage Act of N70,000, after an intense and well coordinated tripartite (plus) collective bargaining process between the government, organized labour and employers of labour.”

The Director General said labour is the most critical success factor of development which must be motivated for development, adding: “Wealth of humans is the wealth of nation. Nigeria should motivate and build capacity for 75 million labour force in formal and informal sectors to deepen the reform agenda”.

While commending some state governors who have paid more than the national minimum wage, he urged stakeholders to engage further for “wage-led and job-led economic growth” adding that “minimum and living wage should be complemented by minimum productivity and minimum discipline in the public service”.

The key highlight of the summit was the unveiling of the 2025 Training Calendar of the Institute which featured as many as 53 courses on various labour market themes.

As part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President lBola Ahmed Tinubu to promote workplace harmony for national development, the Director General disclosed that MINILS in 2024 surpassed the 2024 Ministerial Deliverables Target of 1250 to over 3,500 workers in private and public sectors drawn from the 6 geopolitical zones of the country who have been trained including People living with Disabilities ( PLWD).

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