The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to urgently review the national minimum wage, insisting that the current ₦70,000 is no longer sustainable under prevailing economic realities.
Speaking in Abuja, the Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Benson Upah, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that rising inflation and the soaring cost of living had eroded the value of the wage signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in July 2024.
“The truth is that ₦70,000 is not sustainable under the present economic situation. Workers are under immense pressure, and unless the government responds quickly, the crisis of survival will only worsen,” Upah said.
He stressed that while Labour remained committed to dialogue, industrial action might become inevitable if the government failed to act.
“We have since engaged the Federal Government on this matter at different times and forums. It is our hope that the government would see both the economic and moral obligations to do so expeditiously,” he added.
States Move Beyond ₦70,000 Benchmark
Reports indicate that several states have already adjusted their minimum wage above the federal benchmark. Imo State recently raised its wage for the second time to ₦104,000, while Lagos and Rivers have increased theirs to ₦85,000.
Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has also promised to raise the figure further to ₦100,000 in 2025.
Other states, including Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu, and Akwa Ibom, pegged their minimum wage at ₦80,000, while Ogun and Delta approved ₦77,000. Benue and Osun are paying ₦75,000, with Ondo State slightly higher at ₦73,000.
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State explained that his administration’s review was “part of efforts to improve the welfare of workers” after reaching an agreement with organised labour.
Workers, Unions Decry Harsh Economy
The President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Mr. Shehu Mohammed, welcomed the adjustments by some states but warned that the figure was still far from a living wage.
“Right from the beginning, during the negotiation, our demand was for a living wage, and we submitted ₦250,000 as a reasonable benchmark. We told the government that anything short of that only takes a worker to the gate of the office, not back home,” he said.
Mohammed added that with electricity tariffs, transport, and food prices climbing daily, ₦70,000 had lost its value.
“Even if you pay electricity bills out of ₦70,000, what remains cannot sustain a family for 10 days,” he lamented.
Civil servants interviewed by NAN echoed the same frustrations.
Mrs. Kemi George said: “By the time I pay transport to work and buy food, nothing is left. Rent and school fees are almost impossible to cover. It is only God that has been sustaining us because our take-home pay is nothing compared to what we spend in a month.”
For Mr. Obi Chimaobi, ₦70,000 is simply not enough to survive.
“Things are no longer affordable. A bag of rice is now like gold, transport fares keep rising daily, and with ₦70,000, you are already in debt before the month even ends,” he said.
Another worker, Mrs. Bola Akingbade, emphasized: “A well-paid workforce is a motivated workforce. An increased minimum wage will not only improve the living standards of workers but also enhance efficiency and service delivery across ministries, departments, and agencies.”
Calls for Broader Reforms
Some workers cautioned that wage review alone would not solve the deeper economic challenges without broader reforms.
Mr. Jeremiah Okon noted that if states with fewer resources could increase their wage structures, the federal government had no excuse.
“If states with limited revenue allocations could raise their minimum wage, then the federal government must do even better. A fair review would be to adjust the minimum wage from ₦70,000 to at least ₦150,000,” he said.
He further argued that improved wages should be seen as a catalyst for growth rather than a burden.
“Increased wages will percolate through increased spending on goods and services, thereby stimulating local businesses and boosting the economy,” Okon explained.
