The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have announced plans to reopen negotiations with the federal government on a new national minimum wage, insisting that Nigerian workers need a realistic living wage to cope with mounting economic pressures.
The labour centres made their position known during a joint address at the 114th International Labour Conference in Geneva, where they expressed concerns over the declining purchasing power of workers amid persistent inflation, rising living costs, and economic uncertainty.
According to the unions, the current minimum wage structure no longer reflects prevailing economic realities, citing significant increases in the cost of food, transportation, housing, healthcare, and other essential services.
They also firmly opposed any proposal to subject the minimum wage to taxation or impose additional financial obligations on low-income earners, warning that such measures would worsen hardship for millions of Nigerians already struggling to survive.
Nigeria’s current minimum wage of N70,000 was signed into law on July 18, 2024, following an agreement between organised labour and the federal government.
President Bola Tinubu formally announced the new wage a day later, while implementation commenced on July 29, 2024.
Although the agreement initially provided for a three-year review cycle, the federal government revised the arrangement in January 2025, reducing the review period to two years and making 2026 the next review window.
Ahead of that deadline, labour leaders said they would immediately begin pushing for formal negotiations to prevent the delays that have characterised previous wage review exercises.
“The current Act expires early next year, and we have announced that renegotiation will commence by July 2026 to avoid the painful delays of the past. As soon as we leave here, we shall write again to the government demanding the commencement of the process for renegotiating the national minimum wage,” the unions stated.
The NLC and TUC argued that workers have continued to bear the brunt of inflation, currency depreciation, and escalating costs across critical sectors of the economy.
They maintained that official economic indicators often fail to capture the harsh realities confronting ordinary Nigerians.
Calling for urgent intervention, the labour organisations urged governments at all levels to introduce immediate relief measures while negotiations for a new wage structure are ongoing.
“We demand nothing less than a genuine living wage that reflects today’s harsh economic realities. We also demand immediate relief measures by governments at all levels until a new minimum wage is signed into law. We reject outright any attempt to tax the minimum wage or impose further burdens on the poor,” the communiqué added.
The unions stressed that the forthcoming wage discussions should focus not merely on increasing salaries but on safeguarding workers’ real incomes, which they said have been steadily eroded by inflation.
Beyond wage issues, labour leaders used the international platform to draw attention to worsening insecurity, unemployment, and poverty across the country.
They noted that growing insecurity in several regions has made daily commuting increasingly risky, with incidents of killings, kidnappings, and displacement disrupting livelihoods and economic activities.
According to the labour movement, nearly 2,000 people were killed during the first quarter of the year, while millions have been displaced from their homes as a result of violent conflicts.
The unions warned that if insecurity continues unchecked, many workers may be forced to stay away from work for safety reasons, potentially creating wider social and economic tensions.
They further claimed that approximately 65 per cent of Nigerians, estimated at around 150 million people, are currently living in multidimensional poverty due to inflation, job losses, and shrinking purchasing power.
While acknowledging ongoing economic reforms, the labour leaders argued that such measures have yet to translate into tangible improvements in the living conditions of ordinary citizens.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the NLC and TUC disclosed that they are preparing a charter of demands to guide their engagement with political actors and determine their support for candidates.
They said only politicians who demonstrate commitment to improved security, quality public services, wage reforms, and the protection of workers’ rights would earn labour’s endorsement.
The unions also condemned what they described as interference in union affairs by some state governments, alleging attempts to undermine democratically elected labour leaders and weaken the independence of organised labour.
They vowed to resist any effort aimed at imposing external control on labour organisations.
As preparations begin for the 2026 wage review, the labour movement said its primary objective remains securing a wage system that adequately reflects current economic realities and protects workers from further financial hardship.
