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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) will advocate for a N250,000 minimum wage during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja today.
Benson Upah, Head of Public Affairs for the NLC, emphasized that the Labour will persist with its demand, citing the rising cost of living. “We are going to the table with our demand of N250,000 even as the cost of living has since moved up. We have been very reasonable and patriotic,” Upah stated.
This meeting is part of President Tinubu’s commitment to engage in more discussions with stakeholders regarding the minimum wage. It follows Tinubu's announcement during his Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2024, where he mentioned that an executive bill on the new national minimum wage would soon be presented to the National Assembly.
On June 25, the Federal Executive Council, led by President Tinubu, postponed discussions on the new minimum wage to allow for further stakeholder engagement before submitting the planned executive bill. This decision came after the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, presented the report of the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage to the President. The report, handed over by the committee’s chairman, Bukar Goni Aji, recommended a minimum wage of N62,000 based on submissions from federal and state governments and the Organised Private Sector (OPS).
While Labour has proposed N250,000, state governors have expressed concerns about their ability to meet even the N62,000 recommendation. The NLC argues that the current N30,000 minimum wage is insufficient, citing inflation driven by the removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of forex windows.
Following the Federal Executive Council meeting, President Tinubu and Vice President Kassim Shettima met with governors and ministers at the 141st National Economic Council meeting to discuss the new minimum wage. The outcome of this meeting remains undisclosed.
Discussions on the minimum wage have been prolonged, with no consensus reached among Labour, government representatives, and the private sector. Frustrated by the delay, Labour unions initiated an indefinite strike on June 3, disrupting economic activities and government functions nationwide. The strike affected airports, hospitals, banks, the national grid, and legislative complexes.
The strike was suspended after assurances from government officials that an increased offer was forthcoming. President Tinubu had established the tripartite committee in January to negotiate a new minimum wage before the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 expired in April 2024. The committee includes representatives from Organised Labour, federal and state governments, and the OPS.
