NIGERIA: NLC Demands Urgent Review Of Minimum Wage From ₦70,000

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and federal government workers have called for an immediate review of the national minimum wage, insisting that the current ₦70,000 benchmark is no longer sustainable under the prevailing economic realities.

The demand follows recent wage increases announced by several states across the country, with some surpassing the federal standard in response to inflation and the rising cost of living.

President Bola Tinubu had in July 2024 signed the National Minimum Wage Bill into law, raising the wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000. The amended law applies to federal, state, and local governments as well as the private sector.

However, since then, several states including Imo, Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu, and Akwa Ibom have reviewed their minimum wages upward, citing economic pressures on workers. Imo State most recently raised its wage to ₦104,000.

Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Benson Upah, said in Abuja that inflation had eroded the value of ₦70,000, leaving many workers unable to meet their daily needs.

He warned that unless government acted swiftly, the crisis of survival for workers would deepen.

“The truth is that ₦70,000 is not sustainable under the present economic situation. Workers are under immense pressure, and unless the government responds quickly, the crisis of survival will only worsen,” he said, adding that while labour preferred dialogue, industrial action might be inevitable if negotiations fail.

Similarly, the President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Shehu Mohammed, praised state governors who had revised their minimum wage, describing their action as a wake-up call for the Federal Government.

He noted that organised labour initially demanded ₦250,000 as a living wage, arguing that ₦70,000 could barely cover electricity bills, transportation, and food expenses.

Labour leaders maintain that a wage review would not only improve workers’ welfare but also stimulate economic growth through increased spending and local business activity.