Labour Leaders Celebrate N70,000 Minimum Wage Victory
Nigeria’s organised labour has described the newly approved N70,000 minimum wage as a major achievement in the face of economic challenges, noting a 130% increase from the previous N30,000 benchmark.
Speaking at a joint press briefing on the sidelines of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, the Presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the negotiations.
“Arithmetically, N70,000 is higher than N30,000 by about 130 per cent. When considering a year’s review period, it is more advantageous,” Ajaero said.
Call for Inflation Control
Despite the success, the labour leaders highlighted runaway inflation and naira devaluation as major threats to the real value of workers’ earnings. Ajaero stressed that the Federal Government must take urgent steps to stabilise the economy.
“The question now is: can we check the inflationary trend so that the N70,000 will make sense to us?” he asked.
Ajaero recalled that previous wage increases, including N18,000 and N30,000, were also undermined by inflationary pressures. However, he emphasized that this is the first time Nigeria has achieved a three-year renegotiation cycle a significant step forward in labour relations.
Wage Awards and Compliance by States
Ajaero also hailed the introduction of wage awards as a novel achievement during negotiations, describing them as a temporary relief measure before the new wage was formally adopted.
“The wage award was a stopgap before the minimum wage was negotiated. It’s a new phenomenon in the labour circle,” he noted.
Providing an update on compliance across the country, TUC President Osifo stated that while many state governments have shown commitment, some have implemented the new wage without properly negotiating consequential adjustments.
“Some governors just top up salaries with pre-determined figures without discussion,” Osifo said.
Labour Urges Local Action for Full Implementation
Osifo urged state councils and union affiliates of the NLC and TUC to take the lead in pushing for full implementation of the N70,000 wage at the sub-national level. He warned against placing the entire burden on national labour centres.
“The fight for implementation must be led by those on the ground. We can’t expect NLC and TUC at the centre to do it all,” he emphasized.
