Nigerian Workers Mull Strike as Minimum Wage Report Awaits Presidential Decision

Organised labour has announced plans for an emergency meeting to decide on the next steps after the national minimum wage tripartite committee submitted its report to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In an exclusive telephone interview with DAILY POST on Monday, Nigeria Labour Congress spokesperson Benson Upah stated that the outcome of the meeting will determine whether organised labour will resume its strike action in the coming days.

“The appropriate organs of the two unions will meet, and once they do, whatever decision they make will be communicated to the public,” Upah said, without specifying the meeting date.

After the tripartite committee’s meeting on Monday, the federal government proposed a minimum wage of N62,000, while organised labour insisted on N250,000. The report also includes proposals of N57,000 and N62,000 minimum wage from state governors and the organised private sector, respectively.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) confirmed receiving the tripartite committee’s report on Monday. Attention now turns to President Tinubu, who is expected to act on the report and submit an executive bill on the minimum wage to the National Assembly ahead of Nigeria’s Democracy Day on June 12.

Meanwhile, NLC President Joe Ajaero, speaking at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, ruled out the resumption of the strike on Tuesday. He noted that organised labour is waiting for President Tinubu’s decision on the tripartite committee’s report.

“We are waiting for the decision of the President. Our National Executive Council (NEC) will deliberate on the new figure when it is out,” he said.

Organised labour had suspended last Monday’s indefinite strike, which shut down the country’s economy for a week. The federal government’s previous minimum wage offer of N60,000 was rejected by labour. The new offer of N62,000 remains far below labour’s proposed N250,000, highlighting a significant disparity.