Minimum Wage: Tinubu, Labour To Resume Talks Thursday

President Bola Tinubu is set to meet with the leadership of the Organised Labour in continuation of discussions on a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the issue of the new minimum wage was also discussed during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday.

Idris said the President will meet with the Labour leaders “to finalise their thoughts and then he will make his informed decision known to Nigerians by also sending it to the National Assembly”.

He said the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, has been directed to come up with a proposal for an Amendment Act to the 2024 Appropriation Act to be sent to the National Assembly.

Last Thursday, the President met with the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero; and his counterpart at the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, at the State House in Abuja.

At the end of the meeting, the President called for realistic expectations as regards minimum wage. “You have to cut your coat according to available cloth. Before we can finalise the minimum wage process, we have to look at the structure,” he said.

The President is expected to make a decision on the ₦62,000 proposal of the government and private sector side; as well as the ₦250,000 demand of the Organised Labour. The current minimum wage is ₦30,000.

The meeting is coming about a month after the President said in his Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2024, that an executive bill on the new national minimum wage for workers would soon be sent to the National Assembly for passage.

On June 25, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) chaired by the President stepped down from consideration and deliberation on the memo on the new minimum wage to allow for more engagement with stakeholders.

Two days after, Tinubu and Vice President Kassim Shettima, at the 141st meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), met with governors of the 36 states of the Federation and ministers to deliberate on a new minimum wage for workers.