Lagos has fulfilled its promises to workers, says Sanwo-Olu

By Adeola Ogunrinde

The 2025 Workers’ Day celebration in Lagos State was marked by vibrant displays of solidarity from various labour unions, who defied the rain to march in unity at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan. Themed “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the Midst of Economic Hardship,” the event drew thousands of members from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), filling the 10,000-capacity venue to the brim.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu joined the May Day parade and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare, highlighting Lagos as the state with the best remuneration for civil servants in Nigeria.

“Lagos State will continue to take the lead in the public service sector. Throughout the negotiations that led to the new minimum wage, Lagos stood by and fulfilled every promise made to workers. We are the highest-paying state in the federation,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu emphasized that consistent payment of salaries and pensions, along with investments in training and capacity building, remain key pillars of his administration’s workforce development plan.

“We have ensured workers are not left behind in our economic planning. Beyond promotions, we’ve expanded training through dedicated institutions to equip our workforce with relevant skills and digital competencies,” the Governor added.

He urged workers to be patient with the ongoing reforms by the Federal Government, stressing that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda is beginning to yield results aimed at improving lives. Sanwo-Olu described the president as a “compassionate leader” who genuinely cares about workers’ wellbeing.

The Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo, commended the Sanwo-Olu administration for improving service conditions and creating a safe and empowering work environment for employees.

He noted that Lagos State had implemented a revised salary structure that raised the minimum wage to N85,000, the highest in the country, along with corresponding adjustments across all levels.