The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has maintained its two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government over rising petrol prices and demands for fresh minimum wage negotiations, warning that Nigerian workers continue to face severe economic hardship despite the introduction of the N70,000 national minimum wage.
NLC President Joe Ajaero stated the union’s position on Monday in Abuja, where he criticised the implementation of the 2024 minimum wage agreement and called for urgent action to address workers’ declining purchasing power.
Ajaero said the government should introduce measures to ease workers’ financial difficulties before the situation escalates into strikes or protests. He stressed that the labour movement’s objective was not necessarily to embark on industrial action but to secure meaningful improvements in workers’ living conditions.
The NLC president maintained that the ultimatum remained in force, noting that correspondence had already been exchanged between organised labour and the government. He added that the meeting where he spoke was not the appropriate forum for negotiating the ultimatum.
Ajaero said Nigerian workers were struggling to meet basic expenses, including food and transportation, despite the minimum wage agreement reached in 2024.
He argued that the N70,000 wage had become inadequate amid rising petrol prices and other living costs, leaving many employees unable to maintain their previous standard of living.
According to the labour leader, the government should adopt a proactive approach similar to that of other countries, where authorities introduce economic relief measures before labour disputes escalate.
He said waiting for workers to take to the streets before responding to their concerns was not an effective way to manage industrial relations.
Ajaero also disputed claims that the 2024 minimum wage negotiations resulted in salary increases of approximately 133 per cent for federal public servants.
He alleged that the government instead added N40,000 to workers’ salaries, arguing that the adjustment did not amount to the percentage increase being attributed to the wage agreement.
The NLC president maintained that the arrangement had failed to provide sufficient relief, particularly as inflation and rising transportation costs continued to reduce the value of workers’ earnings.
He also raised concerns about unresolved labour disputes in the health sector, recalling an 84-day strike by healthcare workers that was suspended following the intervention of organised labour. According to him, the issues that led to the industrial action had not been adequately addressed more than a year after the intervention.
Ajaero further disclosed that workers under the National Public Service Negotiating Council had considered embarking on industrial action but were persuaded by labour leaders to suspend their plans.
He rejected allegations that organised labour was being used by politicians, describing such claims as insulting to workers demanding better salaries and improved living conditions.
The NLC president appealed to government officials and the leadership of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to treat workers’ concerns seriously and work towards solutions that could prevent further deterioration in industrial relations.
Meanwhile, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume called for a balance between workers’ demands for better remuneration and the government’s financial capacity.
Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the General Services Office in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Abubakar Kana, said wage decisions must reflect prevailing economic conditions while supporting industrial harmony.
He stressed that economic reforms, growing public expectations and the approach of the 2027 general elections had increased the need for a fair and sustainable wage system.
Akume urged the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to improve its ability to anticipate wage-related challenges and provide recommendations based on reliable economic data and consultations with labour unions, employers and other stakeholders.
He identified stronger policy coordination, digital transformation and effective implementation of institutional reforms as priorities for improving the commission’s performance.
The SGF also warned against avoidable industrial disputes, emphasising the importance of dialogue and cooperation in maintaining economic stability. He called for better research, data management and administrative processes, alongside clear implementation timelines and measurable performance targets.
He urged the commission’s newly constituted board and management to ensure that decisions reached at the retreat translated into practical improvements.
Earlier, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Junaidu Bindawa, said Nigeria’s economic conditions required a more strategic approach to wage administration.
Bindawa explained that inflation, changing expectations among workers and demands for greater public sector efficiency had made sustainable salary policies increasingly important.
He noted that wage administration directly affects workers’ welfare, government spending, industrial relations, productivity and the overall performance of the public service.
According to Bindawa, the commission’s retreat, themed Vision, Strategy and Institutional Renewal, was organised to strengthen its ability to address emerging challenges involving salaries, compensation and workers’ welfare.
He identified research, job evaluation, compensation management, public finance, industrial harmony and institutional accountability as key areas requiring attention.
Bindawa also called for stronger collaboration between the commission’s board and management, improved internal processes and wider adoption of digital tools to support evidence-based decisions. He said the retreat should produce a practical roadmap with clear priorities and measurable outcomes.
In her welcome address, the commission’s Secretary, Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas, called for a permanent, data-driven approach to wage reviews rather than a system that responds only when economic or industrial pressures arise.
She recalled that earlier wage review exercises were conducted through temporary commissions, including the Morgan Commission of 1964, the Adebo Commission of 1971 and the Udoji Commission of 1974.
Okoya-Thomas said the establishment of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission in 1993 provided a permanent institutional framework for advising the government on salaries, allowances and national incomes policy.
She acknowledged that the 2024 minimum wage more than doubled the previous statutory minimum but stressed that future wage decisions must remain fair, evidence-based and financially sustainable.
She said the retreat would examine data reliability, fair remuneration, social dialogue, institutional capacity and governance. The commission also planned to develop an action plan aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria Agenda 2050 and the Medium-Term National Development Plan for 2027 to 2030.
According to Okoya-Thomas, the proposed plan would specify responsibilities, implementation deadlines and performance indicators, with the commission’s monitoring and evaluation division tracking progress.
Also speaking, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abel Enitan, said improving workers’ welfare, strengthening institutional efficiency and modernising government operations were necessary for national development.
Enitan described salary administration as a matter of national importance, noting that the civil service and the wages commission had complementary responsibilities in improving employees’ conditions and public sector performance.
He said the government was prioritising staff development and the digitisation of civil service operations, with the aim of establishing a fully paperless working environment.
Enitan linked these reforms to President Bola Tinubu’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030, arguing that achieving the target would require a productive and well-equipped workforce.
He expressed confidence that the retreat would produce recommendations to strengthen wage administration, improve workers’ welfare and support wider public service reforms.
Credit: PUNCH
