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By Bimbola Oyesola
Against the backdrop of economic downturn and challenges, Nigerian workers may need to change strategies and adapt to new ways in the world of work to remain relevant and sustainable.
This was the position at a gathering to encourage resilience and reflection at the 2025 National Annual Workshop of the Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff Association (HAPSSSA), as labour leaders, hospitality executives and unionists converged at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, to deliberate on how workers can adapt and thrive in Nigeria’s unstable economy.
Delivering his goodwill message, Festus Osifo, president, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), commended HAPSSSA for its foresight in choosing the theme, “Strategic Adaptation of Unions/Workers to Understand Management Roles During This Unstable Economy.”
Osifo described the workshop as both “timely and strategic,” saying it reflects the urgency for unions to balance advocacy with understanding in a period marked by inflation, economic volatility and policy shifts.
“The times we live in are turbulent,” he said. “But we must not respond with panic; we must respond with strategy, intelligence, and solidarity.”
The TUC president noted that while workers are grappling with rising living costs, employers also face operational constraints due to unstable government policies and a fluctuating naira.
“Our role as unionists,” he said, “is not to compromise principles, but to understand the realities of management so we can negotiate from a position of knowledge and foresight.”
He particularly highlighted the hospitality sector’s vulnerability to economic disruptions, describing it as “one of the hardest hit yet most essential components of Nigeria’s service economy.”
Osifo urged HAPSSSA members to develop competence in management understanding, financial awareness, and strategic communication to protect jobs and foster business sustainability.
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“This is the spirit of strategic unionism – a modern, intelligent approach that balances confrontation with cooperation, and struggle with strategy,” Osifo declared. “It is through such informed engagement that we will sustain relevance and win meaningful gains for our members.”
The labour leader also used the platform to rally support for TUC’s “One Million Membership Drive Initiative,” urging HAPSSSA to leverage the programme to strengthen its presence across hotels, tourism, catering, and allied services. “The power of labour lies in our numbers and unity of purpose,” he emphasized.
In his welcome address, National President of HAPSSSA, Iyeh Williams Adegbe echoed similar sentiments, stressing that the nation’s economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira have significantly affected both employers and employees.
“The effect is overwhelming,” Adegbe said. “Employers are battling to sustain their businesses while employees are struggling to cope with the rising cost of living. This is why this year’s theme is not only relevant but urgent.”
He expressed optimism that the workshop would equip participants with tools to navigate the challenges ahead. “We expect our chairman and speakers to shed more light on how we, as unionists, can understand management objectives without losing sight of our primary responsibility, which is to protect workers’ welfare,” he said.
The HAPSSSA president also extended a warm welcome to key dignitaries, including Chief Samuel Alabi, Company Secretary of Eko Hotel, who chaired the occasion; Nuhu Toro, TUC Secretary General; and Geoffrey Oside, a tax expert who led discussions on the forthcoming tax regime.
Speaking on behalf of the TUC, Dr. Toro reaffirmed the Congress’s commitment to supporting affiliate unions in deepening industrial harmony and promoting decent work standards across Nigeria’s service sector. “We must work smarter, not just harder,” he said. “Knowledge is the new tool of resistance and relevance.”
Participants described the workshop as “enlightening and empowering,” with interactive sessions exploring labour-management relations, organising, taxation, and adaptive strategies for union leaders in crisis economies.
As the two-day event drew to a close, Osifo charged delegates to “translate the lessons of this workshop into action.” He said, “Let the insights gained here empower you to engage management constructively, defend workers courageously, and strengthen our collective resilience as a movement.”
In his closing remarks, HAPSSSA President thanked the TUC leadership and all stakeholders for their unwavering support. “We may not control the economy,” he said, “but through unity, strategy, and informed engagement, we can control how we respond to it.”
