By Milcah Tanimu

The Federal Government has announced that despite ongoing negotiations by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, the new minimum wage will be implemented from May 1, 2024, ensuring that workers do not experience any loss.

Addressing Nigerian workers during the May Day celebration in Abuja, Minister of State for Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, acknowledged the delay in finalizing the new national minimum wage but assured that extensive consultations are underway to expedite the process.

While labor unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have urged the government to swiftly increase wage awards, recent demands for a new minimum wage reached N615,000. The unions argued that the current minimum wage of N30,000 is insufficient to sustain workers amidst rising economic challenges and living costs.

Highlighting the expiration of the current wage award in April, five years after the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 was enacted by former President Muhammadu Buhari, labor unions emphasized the necessity of timely reviews to address contemporary economic demands.

President Bola Tinubu commended Nigerian workers for their contributions to national development in his address presented by Vice President Kashim Shettima during the 2024 Workers’ Day celebration in Abuja. Tinubu assured workers that the Federal Government is receptive to the recommendations of the committee on the new national minimum wage and affirmed the administration’s commitment to Nigeria’s progress through ongoing reform initiatives.