New negotiated minimum wage will be N100,000 or N200,000 - NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says that it is going to negotiate a new minimum wage of N100,000 or N200,000 due to the rising cost of living.

This was made known the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, while appearing on a Channels Television programme, Politics Today, on Tuesday evening, where he noted that union and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) suspended the earlier planned strike in order to give the government time to fulfil its part of the agreement reached with organized labour.

Ajaero said that the N35,000 wage award that is part of the offer from government is not the new minimum wage which he said may be up to N200,000.

What the NLC President is saying

Ajaero during his appearance on Channels said: “So, it is not a minimum wage but it is a wage added to the minimum wage. So, should we in March, April, or before that time negotiate the new wage to be N100,000 or N200,000, it would be inscribed as minimum wage law which should be the law in existence."

Maintaining that the N35,000 wage award is not an addition to the country’s minimum wage of N30,000, the NLC chief said many factors would be considered in arriving at a new minimum wage.

He said, “Certain things would come into play when we discuss it – inflation, cost of living. Every other thing would come into it,” he added. “We would not go to ask for N65,000. We would go for a realistic amount because N65,000 is about $70 which is not up to minimum wage.”
According to him, for a new minimum wage to take effect, the National Assembly will play a crucial role.

The NLC President added: “The minimum wage is a product of law. Until it is legislated in the National Assembly, it is not a minimum wage,” Ajaero argued.

What you should know

Recall that on Monday night, the leadership of the NLC and TUC suspended the planned indefinite nationwide strike which was scheduled to commence on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

The strike was initiated due to the negative impact of the removal of fuel subsidy and floating oif the naira on Nigerians.

The suspension of the strike followed the meeting between the leaders of the organized labour and representatives of the Federal Government which was held at the State House, Abuja, on Monday, October 2, 2023.

The NLC and TUC in the signed memorandum after the meeting accepted to suspend for 30 days the planned Indefinite Nationwide strike, adding that all parties commit to henceforth abide by the dictates of Social dialogue in all their future engagements.