The Nigeria Labour Congress has revealed plans to open negotiations for a new national minimum wage by July 2026, while also insisting that workers across the country should receive 100 per cent of their basic salaries until a fresh agreement is finalised.
This stance was presented during a joint May Day address at Eagle Square in Abuja by NLC President Joe Ajaero and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria President Festus Osifo.
Speaking before a large gathering of workers at the 2026 Workers’ Day event, the union leaders stressed that revisiting the wage structure had become necessary due to worsening economic conditions, including inflation, insecurity, and the steady decline in workers’ purchasing power.
“As part of this resolve, we announce that the process for renegotiating the National Minimum Wage, which expires early next year, will commence by July 2026, to avoid the painful delays of the past,” the labour leaders said in the jointly delivered speech.
Nigeria’s N70,000 minimum wage was enacted by President Bola Tinubu on July 29, 2024, updating the 2019 legislation after extended negotiations involving the Federal Government, organised labour, and private sector stakeholders to ease the burden of rising living costs.
Despite multiple minimum wage laws over the years, nationwide implementation has continued to face significant setbacks.
Labour leaders therefore urged workers to remain united in advocating for what they described as a realistic living wage that reflects present economic realities.
“In addition to this and with your support, we demand that from July of this year, every worker be paid 100 per cent of his basic salary till the new national minimum wage is signed into law to cushion the effects of the renewed crisis of survival facing Nigerian workers,” they added.
The unions used the May Day platform to paint a grim picture of the economy, arguing that official statistics do not fully reflect the severity of hardship experienced by ordinary Nigerians.
They maintained that poverty levels have worsened despite reported economic growth, citing rising inflation, unemployment, and insecurity as key factors diminishing the quality of life for workers and their families.
According to the union leaders, the current economic system appears to favour a small segment of the population rather than the majority.
“We are told that GDP growth may reach about 3.6 per cent, driven largely by the service sector, yet the poverty rate continues to rise to about 65 per cent of the population,” the speech stated. “It is not getting better. It is getting worse.”
The labour organisations also criticised what they described as heavy taxation on workers and low-income earners, calling on the Federal Government to implement tax relief measures to reduce the pressure caused by rising living costs and global economic challenges.
“Stop taxing the minimum wage. Stop taxing the poor,” the labour leaders declared.
The NLC and TUC further linked the deteriorating economic situation to increasing insecurity across the country, warning that it is affecting productivity, livelihoods, and national development.
They noted that many workers now face heightened risks in their daily routines, citing frequent cases of attacks, kidnappings, and killings reported in different parts of the country.
“Nigerian workers may no longer continue going to work with this level of insecurity, and as we study the situation, we may be forced to advise our members across the nation to limit their movements and stay at home to avoid being kidnapped, abducted, or killed,” the labour leaders warned.
