The Organised Labour has once again rejected a new minimum wage proposal by the Federal Government. The coalition, which includes the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), turned down the Federal Government’s offer of ₦60,000 as the new minimum wage.
Previously, the Organised Labour had demanded ₦497,000 but recently lowered this demand slightly to ₦494,000. A member of the Tripartite Committee, responsible for negotiating the new minimum wage, disclosed that the Federal Government and the Organised Private Sector initially proposed ₦57,000, which was also rejected by the labour unions.
Last week, the government suggested minimum wage figures of ₦48,000 and ₦54,000, both of which were dismissed by the Organised Labour. Initially, the labour unions had put forward a proposal of ₦615,000 for the new minimum wage but later revised this to ₦497,000, and subsequently to ₦494,000, as negotiations progressed. Despite these adjustments, today’s meeting ended in a deadlock, with no consensus reached on the new minimum wage.
With just three days remaining until the May 31 deadline set by the labour unions for the government to finalize the negotiations, the Tripartite Committee remains at an impasse. The unions argue that the current minimum wage of ₦30,000 is inadequate to meet the basic needs of the average Nigerian worker.
They also highlighted that not all state governors are complying with the existing wage award, which expired in April 2024, marking five years since the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 was signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari. According to the Act, the minimum wage should be reviewed every five years to align with the contemporary economic demands of workers.
NLC President Joe Ajaero has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the government’s proposals, describing them as “unsubstantial” and insufficient to support a family. Ajaero emphasized the dire economic situation faced by workers, stating, “The economy of the workers is totally destroyed. In fact, the workers don’t have any economy. I think there are two economies in the country; the economy of the bourgeoisie and the economy of the workers. I think we have to harmonize this so that we can have a meeting point.”
The labour unions’ rejection of the ₦60,000 proposal underscores their determination to secure a more substantial increase that reflects the rising cost of living and the economic realities faced by Nigerian workers. As the deadline looms, it remains to be seen whether a compromise will be reached that satisfies both the government and the Organised Labour.
