The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have proposed a new minimum wage of N615,000 for workers due to the current harsh economic conditions and high cost of living in the country. The president of NLC, Joe Ajaero, confirmed this development to Channels Television on Sunday.
According to Ajaero, after consultations between NLC and TUC, they agreed to propose a new monthly wage of N615,000. The labour unions argued that the current minimum wage of N30,000 is insufficient to cater to the wellbeing of an average Nigerian worker. They added that not all governors are paying the current wage award which will expire in April, five years after the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 was signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari. The Act stipulates that it should be reviewed every five years to meet up with contemporary economic demands of workers.
The NLC and the TUC have called on President Bola Tinubu to hasten the upward review of wage awards at various times. In January, the Federal Government inaugurated a 37-man Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage with a mandate to recommend a new National Minimum Wage for the country.
The NLC had earlier proposed N1 million as the new minimum wage due to the rising inflation in the country which had pushed many into poverty. While the TUC demanded a minimum wage of N447,000 per worker, the NLC later requested N794,000 per worker. However, they have now presented a fresh proposal to the government, agreeing on a new minimum wage of N615,000.
The unions pointed out that inflation, which stood at 31.70% as of February 2024, has affected the cost of living for an average Nigerian worker. They also argued that state governors can afford to pay every public servant because they now receive more monthly revenue allocation by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).