The Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) and federal government workers have called on the Federal Government to urgently review the national minimum wage, insisting that the current ₦70,000 no longer sustains Nigerian workers.
Their demand follows the bold wage adjustments recently implemented by several states, including Imo, Lagos, and Rivers, which have increased salaries above the ₦70,000 benchmark in response to harsh economic realities.
Speaking in Abuja, NLC Acting General Secretary Benson Upah said inflation and the rising costs of food, transport, housing, and electricity had eroded the value of the ₦70,000 minimum wage.
“The truth is that ₦70,000 is not sustainable under the present economic situation. Workers are under immense pressure, and unless the government responds quickly, the crisis of survival will only worsen,” he said, warning that labour may consider industrial action if dialogue fails.
Since President Bola Tinubu signed the National Minimum Wage Bill into law in July 2024, raising salaries from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, inflationary pressures have continued to push millions of families into hardship.
State governments such as Imo (₦104,000), Lagos (₦85,000–₦100,000 by 2025), and Rivers (₦85,000) have already implemented higher wages, while others like Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu, and Akwa Ibom pay ₦80,000.
Workers interviewed lamented that after paying for transportation, rent, and food, nothing remains of their salaries. Many urged the Federal Government to consider raising the wage to at least ₦150,000 and to complement it with policies that reduce the cost of living.
Labour leaders stressed that a realistic minimum wage would not only improve living standards but also boost productivity, curb corruption, and stimulate the economy through increased consumer spending.
