NLC Calls for a New Minimum Wage, Rejects President Tinubu’s Pay Rise Offer

Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has rejected the President Bola Tinubu-led government’s 35% pay rise for workers in the country.

Instead, the NLC is demanding a significant increase in the minimum wage to N615,000, which they consider a “livable wage” for civil servants.

Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s proposal during a television interview on Channels TV. According to Ajaero, the current minimum wage of N30,000, which expired on April 18, is no longer sufficient, and discussions for a new wage were supposed to have been finalized by now. He accused the government of stalling these discussions, labeling the recent pay rise announcement as “mischievous” at a time when genuine wage increases are desperately needed.

The proposed wage structures affected by President Tinubu’s announcement include the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), and several others encompassing police, para-military, intelligence community, and armed forces salary structures.

Ajaero broke down the NLC’s calculation of the N615,000 livable wage, covering essential expenses such as housing, utilities, food for a family of six, medical expenses, clothing, education, sanitation, and particularly transportation, which has become a significant cost due to the rising price of fuel and the geographical location of workers’ residences.

The NLC’s proposed breakdown includes N40,000 for housing and accommodation, N20,000 for electricity, N10,000 for utilities, N25,000 to N35,000 for kerosene and gas, N270,000 for food, N50,000 for medical expenses (excluding surgeries), N20,000 for clothing, N50,000 for education, and N10,000 for sanitation. A significant portion of the wage, N110,000, is allocated to transportation costs alone, considering the distant locations many workers commute from.