The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to urgently initiate negotiations for a new national minimum wage, warning that the current ₦70,000 monthly floor has been completely eroded by soaring inflation and an escalating cost of living.
Speaking on Friday at the Nigeria Rights of Workers Summit 2026 in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, organized to mark 88 years of legally recognized trade unionism in Nigeria, top organized labor leaders declared that the existing wage structure no longer guarantees economic survival for millions of Nigerian workers.
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Escalating Living Costs Erode Benchmark Wage
The demand comes barely two years after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Minimum Wage Act in July 2024, which raised the baseline salary from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000.
However, union executives at the summit emphasized that the relentless price spikes in staple foods, electricity tariffs, housing, and public transportation have reduced ₦70,000 to what they termed a "poverty wage".
Addressing delegates, NLC Deputy President Adewale Adeyanju (Amba)who represented NLC President Joe Ajaero stressed that the economic reality facing households across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and the private sector demands an immediate policy response.
"The current ₦70,000 minimum wage can no longer adequately respond to the realities confronting Nigerian workers, particularly with the rising cost of living," Adeyanju stated. "The expiration of existing wage arrangements and the dramatic shift in market conditions make renewed discussions with federal and state authorities imperative to establish a wage that reflects real-world economic conditions."
88 Years of Unionism: Summit Highlights Key Labor Issues
The Birnin Kebbi summit, held under the theme “The Rights of Workers: Decent Work and a Just Economy in Nigeria,” convened an expansive gathering of stakeholders. Attendees included executive members of industrial unions, federal and state government officials, organized private sector representatives, civil society groups, and members of the National Industrial Court.
While remuneration dominated headlines, delegates spent significant session time evaluating the broader state of workplace governance in Nigeria. Key concerns raised included:
Pervasive Casualization: The widespread adoption of non-traditional and temporary employment contracts that lack pension benefits or job security.
Occupational Safety: Weak enforcement of health and safety standards across industrial and manufacturing sectors.
Workplace Discrimination: Inequities targeting female, young, and gig-economy workers.
Disparate Implementation: Delayed or partial implementation of minimum wage laws across local governments and small private firms.
Former NLC President Ayuba Wabba cautioned that while wage reviews are crucial, focus must also remain on total compensation and social safety nets.
"Decent work is not only about wages," Wabba stated. "It is fundamentally about fundamental human rights at work, guaranteed social protection, job stability, and effective tripartite dialogue between labor, employers, and government."
State Governors Under Pressure as Disparities Widen
The organized labor movement's new push reflects a growing divergence in state-level wage implementations across Nigeria.
Following the enactment of the 2024 minimum wage law, several sub-national governments pushed state civil service wages well above the ₦70,000 national floor to cushion workers against local price surges:
Imo State; ₦104,000
Lagos State; ₦85,000 (Targeting ₦100,000)
Rivers State; ₦85,000
Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu, Akwa Ibom; ₦80,000
Ogun, Delta; ₦77,000
Benue, Osun; ₦75,000
Ondo State; ₦73,000
These sub-national adjustments have strengthened the NLC's position that ₦70,000 is no longer a viable benchmark for the federal workforce or lower-income states.
Reacting during the summit, Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris himself a former labor union leader assured workers that his administration would promptly honor any upward revision negotiated at the national level. Furthermore, Governor Idris pledged to champion the cause for higher worker compensation among his colleagues in the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF).
"Kebbi State will not hesitate to implement whatever new minimum wage is agreed upon between the Federal Government and organized labor," Governor Idris affirmed. "I will also ensure that worker welfare remains a front-burner discussion when the Nigeria Governors' Forum meets."
Workers Recount Hardships as Unions Prepare Strategy
For public and private sector employees across the federation, daily survival has become a complex balancing act. Civil servants interviewed at the sidelines of the summit described a grim economic reality where utility bills, foodstuff prices, and commuting costs swallow monthly paychecks within days.
According to labor representatives, a typical urban worker spends over 60% of a ₦70,000 wage on basic transportation and food items alone. With food inflation remaining elevated over recent quarters, union delegates stressed that a worker earning ₦70,000 enters effective debt before the middle of the month.
Organized labor reiterated that while dialogue remains its preferred pathway, it is preparing for comprehensive engagements with national economic planning committees. Union officials noted that the 88th anniversary of organized labor in Nigeria must serve as a turning point to reaffirm the social contract between the state and the workforce, ensuring that productivity is met with a living wage rather than mere subsistence pay.