Federal Labor Council Insists on Revision, Informs Government That Current ₦70,000 Minimum Wage is Inadequate
Nigeria Labour Congress Calls for Minimum Wage Review Amidst Economic Struggles
In a chat with newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, the Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Benson Upah, called for a review of the ₦70,000 national minimum wage.
Upah expressed concern about the crisis of survival workers are facing and urged the government to respond quickly. He argued that most workers are unable to meet their basic needs based on the current minimum wage due to inflation, rising costs of food, transportation, housing, and other essential services.
Shehu Mohammed, the President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), commended some state governors who have been paying more than the ₦70,000 benchmark but also stated that ₦70,000 is not sustainable under the present economic situation. Mohammed further explained that even if you pay electricity bills out of ₦70,000, what remains cannot sustain a family for 10 days.
Mohammed also stated that with high electricity tariffs, transportation, and food prices, ₦70,000 has lost its value. He said that anything short of ₦250,000 only takes a worker to the gate of the office, not back home. This figure was presented during negotiations as a reasonable benchmark.
The NLC is currently negotiating with the government to review the minimum wage. If negotiations fail, the NLC is prepared to embark on a strike. Benson Upah stated that the NLC has engaged the Federal Government on this matter at different times and fora, and hopes that the government will see both the economic and moral obligations to act expeditiously.
It is important to note that this call for a minimum wage review comes in the context of ongoing negotiations for a review of the minimum wage. There are no search results available that provide information on the current status of negotiations between the Nigerian government and the NLC regarding the update of the minimum wage or the NLC’s current position on a possible wage stoppage action.
President Bola Tinubu signed the new National Minimum Wage Bill into law in July 2024, raising the minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000. However, it seems that this increase has not been enough to alleviate the economic struggles faced by many workers in Nigeria.
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