The ongoing negotiations between the Federal Government and organized labour over the new national minimum wage took a new turn this week.
The government had previously proposed a minimum wage of N48,000, which was immediately rejected by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) as being unacceptable and an “insult” to Nigerian workers.
In response to the labour unions’ walkout from the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage discussions on Wednesday, the government has now signaled a willingness to increase its offer beyond the initial N48,000 proposal.
Tripartite Committee Chairman Bukar Aji appealed to the labor negotiating team to return to the negotiating table, proposing a new meeting date of May 21st. Aji emphasized the government’s desire to conclude the minimum wage discussions promptly, before the upcoming International Labour Organisation (ILO) conference in Geneva, Switzerland.
The labour unions have maintained their stance, with TUC Deputy President Dr. Tommy Okon stating that they will not return to negotiations until the government presents a “meaningful offer” that adequately addresses the needs of Nigerian workers. The current minimum wage in Nigeria is N77,000 per month.
As the two sides continue to negotiate, the Federal Government’s apparent willingness to increase its minimum wage proposal suggests that progress may be made towards resolving this contentious issue in the near future.
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