President Bola Tinubu praised the contributions of Nigerian workers to the nation’s growth in his address delivered by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 2024 Workers’ Day celebration in Abuja on Wednesday.
He mentioned that the Federal government is open to the recommendations from the committee on the new national minimum wage and assured workers that the reform agenda of his administration aims to further the progress of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government indicated that while the Tripartite Committee On National Minimum Wage has not yet completed its negotiations, workers will be protected as the new minimum wage is set to be implemented starting May 1, 2024.
The Minister of State for Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, communicated this on Wednesday during the May Day celebrations in Abuja. She expressed regret that the new national minimum wage was not ready in time for the event but reassured that extensive consultations are underway to finalize the document as quickly as possible.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have repeatedly urged President Tinubu’s administration to expedite the review of wage levels. Recently, Organised Labour proposed a new minimum wage of N615,000 to address the economic challenges and rising cost of living facing workers.
Labour unions have also pointed out that the current minimum wage of N30,000 is insufficient for the average Nigerian worker’s well-being. They noted that not all governors are adhering to the existing wage standard, which expired in April—five years after the Minimum Wage Act of 2019, signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, mandated a review every five years to align with the economic needs of workers.