The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) chose not to participate in a meeting with the Federal Government on Sunday. The purpose of the meeting was to address the removal of fuel subsidies and the resulting increase in fuel prices nationwide. The NLC maintained that it would not engage in dialogue with government representatives unless a legitimate team was established.

On the other hand, officials from the Trade Union Congress attended the meeting, which served as a continuation of discussions held with the NLC at the Presidential Villa in Abuja the previous week, which had ended without a resolution.

Meanwhile, the electricity workers pledged to join the strike in protest against the removal of fuel subsidies by the Bola Tinubu administration, potentially causing a nationwide blackout.

Hakeem Ambali, the National Treasurer of the NLC, confirmed the union’s decision to boycott the meeting, as it was a follow-up to the previous meeting concerning the subsidy removal that took place on Wednesday. Among the attendees of the meeting were the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, the Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited, Mele Kyari, Dele Alake, and others. During the meeting, the NLC insisted on reversing the fuel pump price, which was set between N488 and N540.

With the breakdown of talks, the NLC resolved during its NEC meeting on Friday to initiate a nationwide strike.

Ambali explained that, like the TUC, the NLC received an invitation for a follow-up meeting at the State House after the previous meeting failed to yield results. However, the union chose not to attend because the government representatives lacked official authority or a mandate to negotiate on behalf of President Tinubu.

Providing further insight into the NLC’s decision to boycott the session, Joe Ajaero, the National President of the congress, argued that the meeting held no significance for the congress.