By Milcah Tanimu
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is set to advocate for a new minimum wage of N250,000 during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Thursday.
Benson Upah, the Head of Public Affairs for the NLC, confirmed the union’s firm stance on their demand. “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 told our correspondent.
The meeting follows President Tinubu’s earlier promise to engage more with stakeholders on the minimum wage issue. This comes about a month after the President mentioned in his Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2024, that an executive bill on the new national minimum wage would be presented to the National Assembly.
On June 25, the Federal Executive Council, chaired by the President, postponed deliberations on the new minimum wage memo to allow for further stakeholder engagement. This decision was made after the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage, led by Bukar Goni Aji, submitted their report to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. The report recommended a minimum wage of N62,000, based on inputs from federal and state governments and the Organized Private Sector (OPS).
Despite this, the NLC has proposed a much higher figure of N250,000, while state governors have indicated that they might struggle to pay even the recommended N62,000. The current minimum wage of N30,000 is deemed unrealistic by the unions, especially in light of rising inflation driven by the removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of forex windows.
The ongoing discussions have been contentious, with labour unions previously declaring an indefinite strike on June 3, which severely impacted economic activities and government functions. This strike was suspended following a meeting between labour leaders and government officials, who assured that the government was open to increasing its offer.
President Tinubu established the tripartite committee in January to negotiate a new minimum wage, ahead of the expiration of the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 in April 2024. The committee includes representatives from Organized Labour, federal and state governments, and the OPS.
The outcome of today’s meeting could be pivotal in resolving the long-standing wage dispute and shaping the future of Nigeria’s labour relations.