The Nigeria Labour Congress has clarified its position regarding the upcoming national minimum wage negotiations, emphasizing its mandate to establish the baseline wage floor and oversee subsequent adjustments.
In a statement issued on Sunday by Acting General Secretary Comrade Benson Upah, the congress outlined its specific responsibility to negotiate the statutory minimum compensation below which no employee can be paid.
“For the purpose of clarity, we state that the national minimum wage is set through a tripartite process involving the labour movement, the government, and employers’ representatives. The NLC’s mandate at this stage is clear and unambiguous: to negotiate the national minimum wage; the primary and basic floor below which no worker should be paid,” the statement read.
The NLC explained that once the national minimum wage is established, individual sectors are responsible for negotiating consequential adjustments to align existing salary structures with the new baseline.
“The NLC does not sit at the table to negotiate consequential adjustments in the various sectors,” it stated.
The congress further noted that union leadership across public and private sectors is responsible for handling sector-specific adjustments.
It also explained that for public sector workers, the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council conducts implementation talks and associated revisions with the federal government.
Furthermore, the NLC pledged to ensure that Nigerian workers derive maximum benefit from the upcoming minimum wage process.
“The NLC will do its best to ensure that the outcome of this forthcoming exercise continues to serve Nigerian workers and masses and approximates a living wage,” the statement added.
Backstory…
The clarification comes amid renewed pressure from organised labour for the Federal Government to begin negotiations on a new national minimum wage, following rising living costs and concerns that the current ₦70,000 wage is no longer sufficient for many workers.
The NLC had issued a two-week ultimatum in October, demanding the commencement of a fresh review, while the Federal Government initially maintained that the next statutory review was due on June 1, 2027, three years after the 2024 wage was approved.
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