By Milcah Tanimu

Efforts to reach a consensus on a new minimum wage hit a roadblock as the tripartite committee’s meeting adjourned without resolution, set to reconvene on May 28. The deadlock emerged due to conflicting proposals between the Federal Government, the organised private sector, and labour representatives.

Sources revealed that the government initially maintained its stance at ₦54,000, citing financial constraints. Following a brief hiatus for further deliberation, the government adjusted its proposal to ₦57,000. However, this figure was met with rejection from the labour representatives, who counter-proposed ₦497,000.

“The government and private sector settled at ₦57,000, but labour’s insistence on ₦497,000 led to the deadlock,” disclosed a source familiar with the negotiations.

Expressing disappointment, a senior official of the Nigeria Labour Congress criticized the lack of progress, highlighting the gap between labour’s demand and the government’s offer.

The committee, inaugurated by Vice President Kashim Shettima on January 30, 2024, aims to recommend a new national minimum wage before the expiration of the current ₦30,000 wage on April 18.

However, with divergent proposals from different regions during zonal public hearings, reaching a consensus remains challenging. Various state chapters of NLC and TUC have proposed figures ranging from ₦447,000 to ₦850,000, reflecting the differing economic conditions across the country.