NLC Rejects #100,000 Minimum Wage Proposal, Says #1 Million More Realistic
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has dismissed calls for an increase in the national minimum wage from N70,000 to N100,000, describing the proposed figure as grossly inadequate in view of Nigeria’s prevailing economic realities.
The position of the labour union followed a proposal by Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who urged President Bola Tinubu to consider raising the minimum wage to N100,000. AbdulRazaq reportedly made the suggestion during a meeting between the President and state governors held at the Presidential Residence in Lagos on Friday.
Reacting to the proposal, NLC spokesperson Benson Upah acknowledged the governor’s recommendation as a thoughtful intervention but insisted that the amount would do little to address the worsening cost-of-living crisis confronting Nigerian workers.
According to him, soaring inflation, the depreciation of the naira, increased electricity tariffs, higher fuel prices, and the impact of recent tax policies have significantly eroded workers’ purchasing power.
“We consider it thoughtful of the Kwara State governor to propose this, but certainly, N100,000 falls far below the realistic figure,” Upah said in an interview with Punch. He argued that, considering current economic conditions, a minimum wage of about N1 million would be more realistic and sustainable for workers, provided existing economic conditions remain unchanged.
Upah further maintained that governments at all levels have the financial capacity to accommodate a substantial wage increase, citing improved revenue allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and gains from global economic developments.
He noted that the current N70,000 minimum wage was approved by President Tinubu in June 2024, replacing the N30,000 wage introduced during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. Under the National Minimum Wage Act, the wage structure is subject to review every three years.