Labour Pushes for Higher Pay as Inflation Bites
By Ekanem Asuquo
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and federal civil servants have renewed calls for an upward review of the national minimum wage, insisting that the current ₦70,000 can no longer meet workers’ basic needs.
The wage, which came into effect in July 2024 after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Minimum Wage Bill into law, has been weakened by inflation and rising living costs.
Speaking in Abuja, NLC Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, warned that unless government takes urgent steps, workers’ hardship will deepen.
“The truth is that ₦70,000 is not sustainable under the current situation. Unless the government acts quickly, workers’ hardship will worsen,” he said, cautioning that industrial action may be considered if dialogue fails.
The demand for review comes as several states have raised their workers’ pay above the federal benchmark. Imo State recently increased its minimum wage to ₦104,000, while Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu, and Akwa Ibom now pay between ₦77,000 and ₦100,000.
President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Shehu Mohammed, said the action of some governors should serve as a wake-up call to the Federal Government.
“Right from the start, we demanded a living wage of ₦250,000. Anything less leaves workers unable to cope with rent, electricity bills, transportation, and food prices,” he said.
Some civil servants interviewed by the News Agency of Nigeria expressed similar frustrations, stressing that the current wage leaves many in debt before month-end.
Workers argued that a review to at least ₦150,000 would be fair, adding that higher wages could stimulate the economy through increased consumer spending. They also urged governments to complement wage adjustments with policies on affordable housing, healthcare, and subsidised transport.
