The Presidency has refuted claims that the Federal Government is proposing a new minimum wage of N105,000. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, labeled the reports as inaccurate on Thursday.
The controversy arose following the submission of a new national minimum wage cost template to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa. Finance Minister Wale Edun and Budget and National Planning Minister Atiku Bagudu presented the proposal. Edun confirmed the submission but denied any specific figure, stating there is “no cause for alarm.”
President Tinu
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bu is currently reviewing the proposal, with an official announcement anticipated soon. Meanwhile, speculation about the N105,000 figure circulated, which Onanuga debunked on his social media account.
The Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, which includes government and labor representatives, postponed its meeting for the second time in 24 hours due to the absence of the cost template. The committee’s session, originally set for Wednesday, was adjourned to Friday as the Federal Government had yet to present the new minimum wage proposal.
On Tuesday, President Tinubu had instructed the finance minister to provide the cost implications for the new wage within two days. Although the template was submitted on Thursday, it was not presented at the subsequent government-labor meeting, which led to an adjournment.
Senior labor officials expressed frustration over the lack of progress, with one Nigeria Labour Congress leader noting the union’s growing concern as their ultimatum nears its expiration on Monday.
The ongoing minimum wage negotiations follow an indefinite strike initiated by labor unions on Monday, which disrupted economic activities nationwide. The strike was in response to the government’s failure to reverse an electricity tariff hike.
In a significant development, labor unions agreed to suspend their strike for five days after President Tinubu committed to a minimum wage exceeding N60,000. This decision followed a six-hour negotiation session between labor leaders and the National Assembly on Monday night.
To expedite the process, President Tinubu directed government representatives to collaborate with the private sector and sub-national entities to finalize an affordable wage. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, emphasized the President’s commitment to resolving the issue in favor of Nigerian workers.
In light of the President’s intervention, labor unions have temporarily halted their strike to facilitate productive negotiations with the Federal Government. The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress confirmed this in a joint communique issued on Tuesday.
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