The Federal Government has clarified when Nigeria’s national minimum wage will be due for review, insisting that a fresh wage negotiation should not begin immediately despite growing pressure from organised labour.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, said the current minimum wage of ₦70,000 would become due for review on June 1, 2027, under the government’s interpretation of the National Minimum Wage Act.
The position has intensified the disagreement between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which is demanding the immediate commencement of negotiations for a new wage amid rising living costs.
The dispute comes as organised labour presses the government to address workers’ purchasing power, petrol prices and other unresolved welfare demands.
FG Explains Position on Minimum Wage Review
In a letter to the NLC leadership, Dingyadi said the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019, as amended in 2024, provides for a review of the national minimum wage every three years.
The minister noted that President Bola Tinubu signed the current ₦70,000 minimum wage into law on July 29, 2024, following negotiations involving the government, organised labour and the organised private sector.
According to the minister, beginning a fresh review exercise before the current arrangement reaches its scheduled review date would be premature and inconsistent with the legal framework.
He said the government remained committed to workers’ welfare and would convene a National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee at the appropriate time to negotiate the next wage arrangement.
The government also pointed to measures such as the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, food-security interventions and efforts to enforce compliance with the existing minimum wage.
Why the NLC Is Rejecting the Government’s Position
The NLC, led by Joe Ajaero, has insisted that the government should begin preparations for negotiations immediately rather than wait until the current wage arrangement is due for review.
The labour centre argues that starting discussions early would give the parties enough time to negotiate and prevent delays in implementing a new minimum wage.
Ajaero has challenged the government’s interpretation of the law, maintaining that preparations for negotiations are different from immediately implementing a new wage.
The union also argues that the purchasing power of workers earning ₦70,000 has been eroded by rising prices, currency depreciation and the cost of essential goods and services.
According to the NLC, many workers are struggling to meet expenses for food, transportation, housing, healthcare and education.
The disagreement therefore centres not only on the amount workers should earn but also on when formal negotiations should begin.
NLC Gives FG Two-Week Ultimatum
The dispute follows an ultimatum issued by the NLC on October 8, demanding that the Federal Government begin minimum wage renegotiations and take steps to reduce petrol prices.
The union said the two-week deadline would run from October 9 and warned that failure to address its demands could lead to further action by organised labour.
The NLC wants petrol prices reduced to the levels prevailing when the current minimum wage was signed into law in 2024. It argues that fuel costs affect transportation and the prices of food and other essential commodities.
The union has also demanded tax relief for workers, wage awards to cushion the impact of rising living costs, and action on outstanding agreements involving public-sector and health-sector workers.
The government’s response has acknowledged labour’s concerns but has not accepted its demand to begin the new minimum wage negotiations immediately.
Will Nigerian Workers Receive a Pay Rise Soon?
The latest government statement does not announce an immediate increase in the national minimum wage.
Instead, it sets out the government’s position that the next formal review is due on June 1, 2027, while the NLC continues to demand that preparations begin now.
Any new minimum wage would depend on negotiations between the government, organised labour and the organised private sector, followed by the necessary legal and implementation steps.
The disagreement also leaves questions about how the government will respond to labour’s demands for immediate economic relief and whether the parties can resolve their differences without industrial action.
What Happens Next?
The coming days could be important as the NLC’s ultimatum approaches its deadline and the government maintains its position on the statutory review timetable.
Both sides have indicated that engagement remains possible, but they disagree over the urgency and timing of the negotiations.
For Nigerian workers, the central issue remains whether their earnings can keep pace with the rising cost of living.
Until a new agreement is reached, the existing national minimum wage remains ₦70,000, while the timing of the next negotiation process remains a point of contention between the Federal Government and organised labour.