The Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) has conferred its prestigious Shield Award on President Bola Tinubu in recognition of what it described as his commitment to the welfare and interests of Nigerian workers, bringing renewed attention to the administration’s labour policies and ongoing efforts to improve working conditions across the country.
The award, regarded as the union’s highest honour, was presented by the National President of the NCSU, Comrade Oluwole Sunday, during the organisation’s 114th anniversary celebration in Abuja on Monday.
President Tinubu, who was unable to attend the ceremony, was represented by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who received the award on his behalf.
According to a statement issued by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the minister, the honour was bestowed on the President for his contributions to the advancement of workers’ welfare and the protection of their interests.
Presenting the award, Sunday described Tinubu as “a true shield of the Nigerian worker,” citing policies and interventions which he said had demonstrated the administration’s commitment to improving the welfare and wellbeing of workers.
He said the recognition reflected the union’s appreciation of the President’s efforts to improve conditions within the civil service and strengthen workers’ morale.
The honour also underscored the historical significance of the NCSU, one of Nigeria’s oldest labour organisations, whose 114-year history predates the country’s independence.
With 84 affiliates, the union has played a significant role in the evolution of organised labour in Nigeria, including confronting British colonial authorities in defence of workers’ rights and interests.
Speaking after receiving the award, Keyamo expressed delight at the recognition by the union, describing it as a significant moment given the organisation’s historic contributions to the Nigerian labour movement.
“I got an invitation from the oldest trade union in Nigeria,” the minister said.
Emphasising the union’s historical significance, he added: “You don’t understand, the oldest trade union, the trade union that confronted the British colonialists, is still standing on its feet today.”
Keyamo commended the union for sustaining its activities over more than a century and continuing to champion the interests of Nigerian workers.
The minister, who was also recognised by the union for his solidarity with the workforce, used the occasion to highlight what he described as Tinubu’s responsiveness to workers’ welfare concerns, particularly in the aviation sector.
Among the interventions he cited was the President’s approval of N36 billion for former aviation workers, which he said had reached the final stage of disbursement.
The minister also disclosed that the Federal Government had approved a new salary structure for workers of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), resolving a salary relativity dispute that had remained unsettled for more than 15 years.
According to Keyamo, the dispute arose from concerns by NiMet employees that their remuneration was significantly lower than that of workers performing comparable functions in other aviation-related agencies.
“When I came to office, the NiMet workers were the most poorly paid,” he said, explaining that the workers had consistently demanded a review of their salaries to reflect the nature of their responsibilities.
He said the matter remained unresolved for more than a decade until it was brought before President Tinubu, who approved the new salary structure and directed the immediate release of funds.
Keyamo further highlighted the administration’s minimum wage policy, recalling that Tinubu signed a new national minimum wage into law in 2024 and supported a reduction in the statutory minimum-wage review cycle from five years to three years.
“President Tinubu said no, reduce it to three years,” the minister quoted the President as saying.
He said the revised arrangement would enable negotiations for a new minimum wage to commence in 2027, providing a shorter interval for reviewing workers’ earnings in response to changing economic conditions.
Beyond these national interventions, Keyamo said the administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare was also reflected in efforts to improve conditions within the aviation sector.
He stressed that workers should not be neglected while senior management enjoyed what he described as unnecessary privileges, insisting that fairness and equity must remain central to workplace relations.
Despite the recognition and the interventions highlighted at the ceremony, the minister acknowledged that the struggle for better working conditions and improved welfare remained ongoing.
“Like we said in our song, the struggle for our workers will continue,” he declared.
The award ceremony brought together leaders of the NCSU, including its immediate past President, Comrade Lawrence Ameachi, who chaired the occasion; Comrade Adoga Gupada, Chairman of the Federal Council; and Comrade Yildet Bigwan, Assistant General Secretary.
The Shield Award was subsequently displayed in Keyamo’s office alongside the union’s leadership, symbolising the recognition conferred on the President and the union’s enduring commitment to workers’ welfare.
As the NCSU marks 114 years of organised labour activism, the recognition of Tinubu places the administration’s labour policies and its engagement with workers at the centre of renewed discussions about the future of public-sector welfare, fair remuneration and the continuing struggle for better working conditions in Nigeria.
