The Nigeria Labour Congress has said fresh negotiations with the Federal Government over the national minimum wage could begin soon as workers continue to grapple with the rising cost of living.
NLC spokesperson Benson Upah said although formal discussions have not started, organised labour expects talks to commence in the near future.
The development comes less than two years after the implementation of the ₦70,000 minimum wage, which labour says has been weakened by persistent inflation and increasing prices of food, transportation, rent and other essential goods.
The renewed expectation follows recent comments by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, who said it was time to review workers’ wages, noting that inflation had significantly reduced the value of the current minimum wage. He also stressed that workers’ welfare should include affordable housing, healthcare, transportation and education.
The ₦70,000 minimum wage was approved in 2024 after months of negotiations between the Federal Government, the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and employers. Labour had initially demanded about ₦615,000 before both sides reached a compromise following the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.
Labour leaders have continued to insist that Nigerian workers deserve a living wage that reflects the country’s current economic realities, warning that rising inflation has eroded the purchasing power of the existing minimum wage.
