NLC submits N615,000 minimum wage demand in fresh proposal

Opinion Nigeria has learned that organised labour, which is made up of the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, has sought N615,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the nation.

A reliable source, an executive in organised labour who wished to remain anonymous due to lack of authority to comment on the subject, informed Sunday PUNCH that the NLC and TUC held discussions prior to deciding on the new monthly salary of N615,000.

The insider, who served on one of the government-appointed subcommittees tasked with negotiating a new national minimum wage, hinted that an increase in pay was possible given the recent increase in electricity prices.

Speaking with one of our correspondents on Saturday, the source said, “We (NLC and TUC) have given our figures to the government (on the minimum wage), and it is N615,000. That is the position of the NLC and TUC on the matter. The government has been informed as well.”

On January 30, Vice President Kashim Shettima, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, assembled a 37-person panel in the Council Chamber of the State House in Abuja.

The panel’s mandate was to recommend a new national minimum wage, and its membership included representatives from organised labour, the commercial sector, and both federal and state governments.

The existing N30,000 minimum wage expires at the end of March 2024, therefore Shettima requested panel members to “speedily” arrive at a decision and submit their recommendations early.

Bukar Aji, a former head of the Federation’s civil service, is presiding over the group. During the panel’s inauguration, he promised that its members will develop a minimum wage that is “fair, practical, implementable, and sustainable.”

The FG failed to establish the new national minimum wage committee as agreed during discussions last October, which sparked months of unrest from organised labour.

Members of the government include Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, who represents the Labour and Employment Minister; Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, who was represented by Lydia Jafiya, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry; Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning; and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Senators Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, for the South West, Charles Soludo of Anambra State, for the South East, Mohammed Bago of Niger State, for the North Central, Senator Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, for the North East, and Otu Bassey of Cross River State, for the South-South, are the representatives of the Nigeria Governors Forum.

Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association’s director-general, Chuma Nwankwo, Thompson Akpabio, and Michael Olawale-Cole, Ahmed Rabiu, and Humphrey Ngonadi, among others, are members of the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture.

Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, represents organised labour, as well as President of the TUC, Festus Osifo; and his deputy, Tommy Etim-Okon, among others.

Ajaero had announced N1m as the new minimum wage, owing to the rising inflation in the country which, according to him, had pushed many of his members into poverty.

This sparked a number of debates, with some experts arguing that the salary wasn’t sustainable or realistic.

On the other hand, another labour official told our correspondent that the NLC and TUC had tentatively set the new pay at N615,000.

When asked if the May 1 deadline was still on track, the labour leader replied, “We are trying our hardest,” The TUC and NLC have unified and communicated their stance to the government.

“We are in the process. Be assured that once anything happens, I will, as usual, inform you. That is all I can tell you for now, because we have not met; even though we have submitted our unified positions to the Federal Government. We will be speaking with one voice.

“But, let me also hint you that with the removal of the electricity tariff subsidy, we are going to have another round of serious conversations with the government. Mind you, the tariff increase is also very good for us, because they (the government) did it when the new minimum wage process had not been concluded. So, it is going to be a good ground for us to ask for more.

“Our position will be defended based on the new price of N225 per kWh of electricity. Although we (the government and Labour) are not in agreement, we are waiting to meet and decide on the next point of action.”

The source added, “This is because if you look at the Electricity Act, it canvassed a position that before any increase at all, there must be stakeholders’ engagement. However, the Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission unilaterally imposed the removal of the electricity tariff on the consumers, without recourse to stakeholders. That is in total defiance to the provisions of the Act.

“These are the issues that will be in the front burner of our next negotiation with the Federal Government.

“The new tariff will also give us another strategy to press the government on the need to move the minimum wage upward. This is because the government has not announced any new minimum wage yet, as we are still negotiating.

“As I said, the NLC and TUC have harmonised positions, which we have sent to the government. It is even now that the negotiation will start properly. All that we have done so far was to try to lay the foundation, and now that we have come up with our positions, the government will also come up with their own. We will then start a fresh negotiation.”