NLC general secretary dies at 60

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The General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Emmanuel Ugboaja, has died at the age of 60 after a protracted illness.

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Details surrounding his death remained sketchy as of the time of filing this report.

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The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, announced Ugboaja’s death to members of the Congress National Executive Council during their ongoing meeting in Enugu, Enugu State, according to Tribune newspapers.

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Ajaero reportedly read a letter from the deceased’s family informing delegates of his passing.

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Ugboaja, a veteran trade unionist and lawyer, had served as the NLC General Secretary since August 2019, following the ratification of his appointment by the Congress’s National Executive Council at a meeting in Kano. He succeeded the retiring Peter Ozo-Eson.

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As General Secretary, Ugboaja was responsible for coordinating the administrative and strategic operations of the labour centre, including relations with the NLC’s affiliate unions, industrial relations, negotiations with government and employers, policy implementation and nationwide mobilisation.

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His tenure coincided with some of the most significant confrontations between organised labour and successive governments over wages, workers’ welfare and economic policies.

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One of his early major assignments was the negotiation surrounding the implementation of the N30,000 national minimum wage approved by the Federal Government in 2019. The disagreement over implementation brought the government and organised labour close to industrial action before an agreement was eventually reached.

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Ugboaja remained involved in subsequent negotiations and campaigns on workers’ wages and welfare.

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In April 2026, he signed an NLC directive urging workers in states that had yet to fully implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act to participate in street rallies on May Day, reflecting his role in translating the decisions of the Congress into nationwide mobilisation.

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Born on May 15, 1966, Ugboaja studied Law at the University of Calabar, graduating in 1987.

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He initially spent about four years in private legal practice before joining the trade union movement in 1993.

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According to the NLC’s historical biography, his entry into the labour movement made him the first Nigerian lawyer to work full-time for a trade union.

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He began his trade union career with the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees, an affiliate of the NLC, where he rose to become General Secretary between 2000 and 2005.

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Ugboaja later served as Coordinator, Advocacy and Mobilisation, at the Alliance for Credible Elections between 2006 and 2009, before joining the NLC Secretariat in 2009.

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His death comes at a significant period for Nigeria’s labour movement, which has remained engaged with the Federal Government and state governments over the implementation of the new minimum wage, workers’ welfare and the wider economic impact of ongoing reforms.

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The NLC is expected to make further statements on Ugboaja’s death and funeral arrangements.

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