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NLC to Push for N250,000 Minimum Wage in Meeting with President Tinubu
The Nigeria Labour Congress is set to advocate for a N250,000 minimum wage during an upcoming meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Thursday.
The NLC’s Head of Public Affairs, Benson Upah, emphasized that the organization will stand firm on their N250,000 proposal during the meeting with the President, highlighting the rising cost of living as a factor for the increased demand.
Labor leaders were invited to engage in discussions with the President following Tinubu’s commitment to hold further consultations with relevant stakeholders regarding the minimum wage issue.
This meeting comes after the President pledged in his Democracy Day address on June 12, 2024, that an executive bill on the new national minimum wage would soon be presented to the National Assembly for approval.
On June 25, the Federal Executive Council, under the leadership of President Tinubu, postponed deliberations on the new minimum wage memo to allow for additional engagements with stakeholders in preparation for the proposed executive bill.
Following recommendations from the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage, comprising George Akume and Bukar Goni Aji, a N62,000 minimum wage was suggested, while Labour proposed a higher rate of N250,000.
There have been challenges in reaching a consensus among stakeholders, with labor unions citing the current economic conditions influenced by factors such as fuel subsidy removal and forex rates unification.
In previous efforts to address the minimum wage matter, Labor had declared an indefinite industrial action on June 3, disrupting various sectors nationwide until a suspension was agreed upon after discussions with government representatives.
President Tinubu established the Tripartite Committee earlier in the year to negotiate wage adjustments ahead of the expiration of the Minimum Wage Act of 2019. The committee includes representatives from Organized Labour, federal and state governments, and the Organised Private Sector.
