Workers Day: NLC Urges Federal Government to Standardize Retirement Age at 65

On May 1, 2025, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) used the platform of Workers’ Day celebrations in Abuja to press the federal government to raise the retirement age for all civil servants to 65 years or after 40 years of service.

NLC President Joe Ajaero made the call during the event at Eagle Square.

He remarked, “It is imperative to extend the revised retirement age of 65 years or 40 years of service currently enjoyed by teachers, health professionals, and judges to all public servants.” This demand seeks to unify retirement policies across various public service sectors.

Currently, only teachers benefit from the increased retirement age, a reform enacted under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. Ajaero had previously assured that the NLC would engage President Bola Tinubu to extend this benefit to all civil servants.

The demand aligns with the broader labour movement’s push for economic justice and improved working conditions during the 2025 May Day observances nationwide.