₦70,000 minimum wage no longer viable, labour union warns FG
Story by Susan Mbamah
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to urgently revise the national minimum wage, declaring that ₦70,000 is no longer realistic in the face of current economic hardships. The call comes after several states recently reviewed their wage structures.
Speaking in an interview, the NLC’s Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, said workers are finding it increasingly difficult to cope.
“The fact remains that a ₦70,000 minimum wage cannot sustain workers under today’s economic realities. Employees are under enormous strain, and if the government delays action, the survival crisis will only deepen,” he said.
While affirming the NLC’s commitment to dialogue, Upah noted that industrial action could still be considered if the Federal Government fails to respond.
In the same vein, President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Shehu Mohammed, applauded states that have reviewed wages, describing them as “eye-openers” for the Federal Government.
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He recalled that labour initially proposed N250,000 as a living wage during negotiations. “Let’s be honest. Once you pay electricity bills from ₦70,000, what’s left cannot sustain a household for even ten days,” he said.
He further urged government authorities to complement wage increases with measures to ease living costs, including affordable housing, healthcare, and subsidised public transport.
Meanwhile, signs have emerged that organised labour in Ogun State may push for a new minimum wage of ₦104,000 for civil servants.
Labour leaders in the state, including NLC Chairman Hameed Benco and TUC Chairman Akeem Lasisi, revealed this in separate interviews yesterday in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Benco argued that with the significant increases in allocations received from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration is capable of meeting the proposed wage.
Lasisi added that organised labour plans to meet with the governor to press for the new wage, pointing out that Ogun State could adopt the ₦104,000 benchmark already approved in Imo State.
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He praised Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo for setting the pace with his approval of the figure, which he said could serve as a model for other states.
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