The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the proposed ₦100,000 national minimum wage being considered by state governors, insisting that the amount is too low given Nigeria’s current economic realities.
The reaction followed comments by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who disclosed that governors were discussing a new minimum wage benchmark of ₦100,000.
Speaking on behalf of the NLC, spokesperson Benson Upah said the proposal “falls far below the realistic figure” needed for Nigerian workers to cope with inflation and the rising cost of living.
According to Upah, factors such as the depreciation of the naira, increasing fuel prices, higher electricity tariffs, transportation costs, inflation, and declining purchasing power have significantly reduced the value of workers’ earnings.
The labour leader argued that under current economic conditions, a realistic living wage could be as high as ₦1 million monthly if workers are expected to maintain a decent standard of living.
“We consider it thoughtful of the governor for proposing this, but certainly, ₦100,000 falls far below the realistic figure,” Upah said.
The debate comes less than two years after the Federal Government approved a ₦70,000 national minimum wage following negotiations with organised labour. Labour unions have since argued that inflation has eroded much of its value.
Meanwhile, the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) also rejected the ₦100,000 proposal, describing it as inadequate and incapable of addressing the hardship faced by workers across the country.
As of now, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum has not formally submitted a new minimum wage proposal to the Federal Government or organised labour for final negotiations.
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