The Organised Labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has firmly rejected the federal government’s offer of a ₦62,000 minimum wage, as well as other proposals suggesting ₦100,000. Instead, the unions stand by their demand for a minimum wage of ₦250,000.
Chris Onyeka, the Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, provided an update during Channels Television’s *The Morning Brief* show on Monday, June 10, 2024.
He emphasized that Labour would not accept any “starvation wage” below ₦250,000, citing the high cost of living and the necessity for a living wage that supports the well-being of Nigerian workers.
“We have never considered accepting ₦62,000 or any other wage that we know is below what we know is able to take Nigerian workers home. We will not negotiate a starvation wage,” Onyeka stated.
He further explained that the current minimum wage of ₦30,000 is insufficient to meet the basic needs of the average Nigerian worker, who struggles with rising prices of essential goods like rice, yam, and garri.
Onyeka reiterated Labour’s position: “We have never contemplated ₦100,000, let alone ₦62,000. We are still at ₦250,000, that is where we are, and that is what we considered enough concession to the government and the other social partners in this particular situation. We are not just driven by frivolities but the realities of the marketplace; realities of things we buy every day.”
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The one-week grace period given to the Federal Government to meet Labour’s demands expires on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Onyeka warned that if the government fails to act, Labour will convene to decide on the resumption of the nationwide industrial action.
“The Federal Government and the National Assembly have the call now. It is not our call. Our demand is there for them to look at and send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly, and for the National Assembly to look at what we have demanded, the various facts of the law, and then come up with a National Minimum Act that meets our demands,” he said.
He also cautioned that if the government insists on ₦62,000, Labour will resume the strike, which was temporarily suspended last week. Labour had declared an indefinite industrial action on June 3, 2024, but paused it for a week after the government promised to consider a wage above ₦60,000.
However, negotiations on June 7, 2024, ended without an agreement, with Labour maintaining its demand for ₦250,000 and the government offering ₦62,000.
