The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and federal government workers have called for an immediate review of the national minimum wage, insisting that the recently implemented N70,000 figure is no longer viable in the face of escalating economic hardships.
The demand comes barely two months after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Minimum Wage Bill into law in July 2024, raising the wage from N30,000 to N70,000 for federal, state, local governments, and the private sector.
However, NLC Acting General Secretary Benson Upah emphasized that rampant inflation, soaring food prices, high electricity tariffs, and rising transportation costs have eroded the wage's value, leaving workers struggling to afford basic necessities.
"The truth is that N70,000 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 stated, warning of potential industrial action if negotiations stall.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) echoed the sentiment, with President Shehu Mohammed recalling that during initial talks, the union proposed N250,000 as a living wage benchmark.
"Let’s be realistic. Even if you pay electricity bills out of N70,000, what remains cannot sustain a family for 10 days," Mohammed said, urging the federal government to pair wage hikes with policies for affordable housing, healthcare, and subsidized transport.
Civil servants shared personal testimonies of hardship, with one worker, Mrs. Kemi George, noting, "By the time I pay transport to work and buy food, nothing is left. Rent and school fees are almost impossible to cover."
Several states have proactively exceeded the federal minimum to address local realities. Imo State recently raised its wage to N104,000 on August 27, 2025, with Governor Hope Uzodinma citing improved worker welfare.
Lagos announced N85,000 in October 2024, with plans to reach N100,000 in 2025, while Rivers, Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu, and Akwa Ibom approved N80,000. Other states like Ogun, Delta (N77,000), Benue, Osun (N75,000), and Ondo (N73,000) have followed suit.
Mr. Jeremiah Okon, a labor advocate, called for a federal adjustment to at least N150,000, stating, "If states with limited revenue allocations could recognise the need for upward wage adjustments, the federal government should lead by example."
The NLC has engaged the federal government on multiple fronts, but no official response has been issued yet.
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