The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has firmly rejected the proposed ₦100,000 national minimum wage put forward by state governors, describing the figure as unrealistic for Nigerian workers in the current economic climate.
NLC spokesperson Benson Upah stated in an interview that workers now require approximately ₦1 million monthly to cope with soaring inflation, rising fuel prices, increased electricity tariffs, and the depreciation of the naira. His comments came in response to Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who chairs the Nigeria Governors' Forum, indicating that governors are considering a ₦100,000 minimum wage.
Labour's Position on Wage Review
Upah acknowledged the governor's proposal as thoughtful but insisted that ₦100,000 falls far below what is needed. 'Given the realities around the exchange rate, inflation, raised tariffs, the surge in the pump price of petrol and associated costs, the decline in the purchasing power of the average worker, and the effects of the new tax regime on our cost of living, the realistic figure, subject to status quo maintenance, would be ₦1 million,' he stated.
The NLC spokesperson argued that the state of public finances makes a higher wage manageable, pointing to increased FAAC allocations and a N5 trillion windfall linked to the Middle East conflict. 'In light of the earnings by governments, this should not be a big issue,' he added.
Background of Wage Negotiations
This is not the first time organised labour and government have been far apart on wages. The ₦70,000 minimum wage approved in July 2024 was itself the product of difficult negotiations, and labour has maintained that inflation eroded its value almost immediately after it was signed into law.
Governor AbdulRazaq had posted on Facebook over the weekend indicating that governors were actively weighing a new minimum wage of ₦100,000, framing it as a response to the financial strain Nigerian workers have been under. However, the governors' forum is yet to table any formal proposal before the Federal Government or labour unions, meaning the distance between ₦100,000 and ₦1 million remains the defining gap in ongoing discussions.
