The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is poised to advocate for a minimum wage of N250,000 as it prepares to meet with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja today. Benson Upah, Head of Public Affairs for the NLC, affirmed that the labour union would stand firm on its demand during the scheduled session with the President.
"We are going to the table with our demand of N250,000, considering the rising cost of living. Our stance is both reasonable and in the national interest," Upah stated.
The meeting follows Tinubu's commitment, announced on June 12, 2024, during his Democracy Day speech, to present an executive bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly soon. Subsequently, on June 25, the Federal Executive Council, under Tinubu's chairmanship, deferred discussions on the minimum wage to engage further with stakeholders.
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The Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage, chaired by Bukar Goni Aji, recommended N62,000 following submissions from federal and state governments, as well as the Organised Private Sector. However, Labour countered with a N250,000 proposal, citing the economic strain exacerbated by recent policy changes such as petrol subsidy removal and forex unification.
Despite ongoing deliberations and a temporary suspension of industrial action initiated by Labour, discussions have yet to yield a consensus among stakeholders. The issue remains contentious, prompting the NLC to pursue its demands vigorously in dialogue with the government.
President Tinubu established the tripartite committee in January to negotiate the new minimum wage ahead of the expiration of the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 in April 2024. The committee comprises representatives from Organised Labour, federal and state governments, and the Organised Private Sector (OPS).
