The Director General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, Comrade Issa Aremu, has called on all levels of government to prioritise labour issues in the 2026 fiscal year.

Speaking in Ilorin over the weekend on the sidelines of his 65th birthday celebration, Aremu emphasised that labour is the primary engine of wealth creation. He argued that for the nation to achieve sustainable productivity, workers must be consciously motivated through fair treatment and workplace discipline.

"Labour creates wealth through other critical success factors; therefore, labour must be consciously motivated in return for productivity and workplace discipline," Aremu stated.

The Director General noted that while employers and government have a responsibility to take labour seriously, the trade unions must also do their part. He urged organised labour to focus on improved productivity, the avoidance of corruption, and the prevention of disruptive work stoppages by embracing collective bargaining and social dialogue.

Reflecting on the past year, Aremu lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration for its 2025 labour record. He highlighted achievements such as mass job creation, enhanced job security, and the regular payment of salaries as developments that have provided a new lease of life for Nigerian youths.

Aremu reminded the audience that President Tinubu had mainstreamed labour into his reform agenda as far back as 2022, promising to make fiscal and monetary policies work for the benefit of all Nigerians. He expressed confidence that continued collaboration between the government and labour institutions will further strengthen the "Renewed Hope" agenda in the coming years.

He added that, true to his promise, President Tinubu has come in fullest of time as an audacious reformer/president in the last two years.

Aremu observed that while reactions to reforms are "understandably mixed" with "reform enthusiasts" in support and "reform "pessimists" in doubt, the initiated far reaching social and economic reforms within the framework of the comprehensive Renewed Hope Agenda have impacted "more positively on the labour market".

According to him, "First, positive impact of the reform is the enhanced public job security, fuel subsidy removal commendably frees up massive government funds for federal, states and local government, downsizing and "retrenchment" of federal jobs, were common features of past reforms (notably under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

On the contrary, he said that, the Renewed Hope reform agenda is intentionally job-led and job protective. Approximately federal 720,000 public servants have their paid jobs secured.

He cited the establishment of new public service institutions such as federal tertiary institutions, ministries of livestock and regional development commissions that have created new thousands of jobs.

Aremu therefore urged the workers to continue to support the federal government so as to bring more welfare development to them and also boost their productivity.