The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern warning against ongoing efforts by the National Assembly to transfer control of the minimum wage and labour matters from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list.
Speaking during a National Administrative Council meeting in Abeokuta, NLC President Joe Ajaero condemned the proposed move, describing it as a calculated attempt to undermine the national minimum wage framework. He insisted that allowing individual states to set their own minimum wages would violate international labour standards and worsen inequality across the country.
Ajaero maintained that the minimum wage must remain a national standard, as enshrined in international labour conventions. He warned that any attempt to alter this would be met with strong resistance from Nigerian workers, stressing that the Congress was prepared to mobilize nationwide protests if the National Assembly proceeds with the plan.
“This is not just a bad policy idea — it’s a direct assault on the welfare of Nigerian workers. We will resist it with every tool available to us,” Ajaero said.
The NLC president emphasized that the existing minimum wage, set at ₦70,000 under the 2024 wage review, provides a baseline for fair compensation nationwide. He noted that while states are permitted to pay above the minimum wage, allowing them to go below would create an unfair and fragmented labour system.
He also raised concerns over alleged plans to establish state-level industrial courts that would independently adjudicate wage disputes. According to Ajaero, such developments would contradict global best practices and the core principles of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Ajaero urged the National Assembly to abandon the proposal, warning that any attempt to tamper with the national minimum wage would destabilize industrial harmony and erode worker protection across the federation.
The NLC reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights and welfare of Nigerian workers and called on political leaders to prioritize social justice over political convenience.
