The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the government to meet its demands regarding the minimum wage, emphasizing the importance of aligning with the practical realities in the country.
The NLC’s stance came in response to a statement made by President Bola Tinubu during a meeting with some governors and members of the National Assembly on the occasion of Nigeria’s 25th Democracy Day anniversary. During this meeting, Tinubu stated that the government would only be able to pay its workers what the country could afford. He remarked, “Senate president, deputy senate president, you will get a notice from me if I have changed my mind on minimum wage. We are going to do it — what Nigeria can afford, what you can afford, what I can afford. They ask you to cut your coat according to your size if you have size at all.”
In response, NLC spokesperson Benson Upah criticized Tinubu’s statement, arguing that it contradicted the president’s previous promise to ensure a living wage. Upah stated, “This will be in breach of his promise to pay a living wage which is superior to a minimum wage. Moreover, there is unanimity of opinion that government accede to the demand of Labour based on practical realities.”
The debate over the new minimum wage has intensified among the government, Labour, and the Organised Private Sector. On June 12, during a nationwide broadcast commemorating the 25th anniversary of Nigeria’s democracy, Tinubu announced that a consensus had been reached on the new minimum wage between the Federal Government and Organised Labour. He revealed plans to send an executive bill to the National Assembly to formalize the new agreement, stating, “In this spirit, we have negotiated in good faith and with open arms with Organised Labour on a new national minimum wage. We shall soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon as part of our law for the next five years or less.”
However, Organised Labour swiftly refuted this claim, asserting that no such agreement had been reached. Adewale Adeyanju, acting President of the NLC, issued a statement on June 12, clarifying that the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage had not concluded negotiations. Adeyanju reiterated that Organised Labour’s demand remained at N250,000 and that no compelling reasons had been provided to alter this stance. He said, “Our demand remains N250,000 only, and we have not been given any compelling reasons to change this position which we consider a great concession by Nigerian workers during the tripartite negotiation process. We are, therefore, surprised at the submission of Mr President over a supposed agreement. We believe that he may have been misled into believing that there was an agreement with the NLC and TUC. There was none and we must let the President, Nigerians, and other national stakeholders understand this immediately to avoid a mix-up in the ongoing conversation around the national minimum wage.”
Meanwhile, state governors have strongly opposed the proposed minimum wage increases from both the Federal Government and Labour. Under their collective forum, the governors argued that enforcing such a minimum wage would hinder their ability to deliver essential infrastructure projects in their respective states.
