The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by President Joe Ajaero, has released a poignant Christmas message for 2025, blending festive greetings with a strong call for collective action against perceived manipulative policies, particularly in the ongoing controversy surrounding Nigeria's new tax reform laws. Titled “Our Hope Lies in Collective Action”, the statement urges Nigerians to reject any tax legislation deemed “distorted or falsified” and emphasizes unity, social justice, and inclusive policy-making in the face of economic challenges.
Released on December 24, 2025, the message acknowledges the profound hardships faced by millions of Nigerian workers and citizens due to rising costs of living, policy-induced suffering, and insecurity. It frames the Christmas season—rooted in themes of hope, love, and renewal—as a reminder that light can emerge from darkness through organized collective power.
Ajaero extended warm greetings to workers and the masses: “As we gather with our families and communities to mark the 2025 Christmas and festive season, we at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) extend our very warm fraternal greetings and wishes of peace, joy, and rejuvenation to each and every one of you; the Nigerian workers and masses.” The statement highlights the “unrelenting assault on our various pillars of survival” but insists that hope is not passive: “Our hope of a revival is not passive and it is not a mere wish. It is built on a concrete foundation: our collective power and the action that it can potentiate.”
Central to the message is a critique of fiscal policies, specifically calling on Nigerians to oppose tax laws that lack broad consensus or appear manipulated. “It is better to patiently craft a law that is broadly co-created and owned than rush into one filled with serious errors and outright political manipulations,” the NLC stated. This comes amid widespread controversy over the four tax reform bills signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, which include the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act. Critics, including northern lawmakers, opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, and civil society groups, have alleged post-passage alterations to the bills and called for suspension of their implementation, set for January 1, 2026.
The NLC stressed the need for “tax justice,” where the wealthy and corporations bear a fair share, while avoiding regressive burdens on low-income earners. It demanded social justice encompassing dignity, quality healthcare, education, and security for all citizens, alongside equitable rewards and rights for workers. “We must insist on social justice where all citizens have access to dignity, good healthcare, and quality education; greater equity for workers where labour is justly rewarded and rights are respected; and a safe and secure nation where lives and properties are guaranteed and people can move about their businesses without fear or intimidation.”
Ajaero warned against divisions along tribal, religious, or regional lines, urging the formation of “a coalition of the righteous; a mighty, indivisible movement of the people” committed to an egalitarian nation serving the majority rather than a privileged few. He called on workers to mobilize from local communities, building organized strength to shape Nigeria's future.
This Christmas message aligns with the NLC's ongoing opposition to the tax reforms, which the union has criticized for excluding organized labour from deliberations. Earlier in December 2024, the NLC demanded suspension of the bills for broader consultations. The controversy escalated with allegations of discrepancies between the versions passed by the National Assembly and those gazetted, prompting investigations and accusations of legislative fraud.
The tax reforms aim to overhaul Nigeria's revenue system, enhance compliance, and support inclusive growth by restructuring agencies like the Federal Inland Revenue Service into the Nigeria Revenue Service. Proponents argue they represent the most comprehensive tax changes in decades, but opponents fear increased burdens on ordinary citizens amid inflation and subsidy removals.
The NLC's call for unity echoes its role as a major voice for workers' rights, often leading strikes and protests against anti-labour policies. As Nigeria grapples with economic reforms under President Tinubu's administration, the union's message serves as both a seasonal reflection and a rallying cry for resistance against perceived exploitative measures.
In the broader context, the statement reinforces labour's push for pro-people policies, including better wages, pensions, and industrial peace through social dialogue. It reminds that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it,” but citizens must actively become that light through solidarity.
As the festive season unfolds on December 25, 2025, the NLC's words resonate with many facing hardship, positioning collective action as the path to redemption and a more just Nigeria.
