President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to meet with the leadership of the Organised Labour to continue discussions on a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced that the new minimum wage was a key topic during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday.
He stated that the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, has been tasked with drafting a proposal for an Amendment Act to the 2024 Appropriation Act, which will be submitted to the National Assembly.
Last Thursday, President Tinubu held discussions with the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, and the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, at the State House in Abuja.
At the end of the meeting, President Tinubu emphasized the need for realistic expectations regarding the minimum wage, stating, “You have to cut your coat according to available cloth. Before we can finalize the minimum wage process, we have to look at the structure.”
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The President is expected to make a decision on the ₦62,000 proposal from the government and private sector, as well as the ₦250,000 demand from the Organised Labour. The current minimum wage stands at ₦30,000.
This meeting comes about a month after President Tinubu announced in his Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2024, that an executive bill on the new national minimum wage for workers would soon be sent to the National Assembly for passage.
On June 25, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), chaired by the President, postponed consideration of the new minimum wage memo to allow for further engagement with stakeholders.
Two days later, at the 141st meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), President Tinubu and Vice President Kassim Shettima met with governors of the 36 states and ministers to deliberate on the new minimum wage for workers.
