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Abuja, FCT – By Prime Brief Media

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have announced that negotiations for a fresh national minimum wage will commence by July 2026, while also demanding that workers across the country be paid 100 per cent of their basic salaries pending the conclusion of the talks. The demand formed part of a joint May Day address delivered on Sunday at Eagle Square, Abuja, by NLC President Joe Ajaero and TUC President Festus Osifo before thousands of workers during the 2026 Workers' Day celebration.

Speaking against the backdrop of worsening economic conditions, the labour leaders said the proposed wage review had become necessary due to deepening economic hardship, rising inflation, insecurity, and the declining purchasing power of Nigerian workers. “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.

The current national minimum wage of N70,000 was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on 29 July, 2024, following extensive negotiations between the federal government, organised labour, and the private sector to address the rising cost of living. However, despite the enactment, implementation across Nigeria has consistently faced significant obstacles, with some state governments failing to fully implement the provisions of the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act.

According to Ajaero, labour is considering a shift toward either an inflation-linked wage system or a cost-of-living formula tied to everyday expenses such as food, transport, and housing. “The goal is not just higher wages on paper, but real value in practice,” Ajaero stated, noting that broader economic considerations must come into focus.

The labour centres used the May Day celebration to paint a grim picture of the country's economic condition, arguing that official statistics did not reflect the hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians. According to the unions, poverty has continued to deepen despite reported economic growth, while inflation, unemployment, and insecurity have worsened living conditions for workers and their families. “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 unions also criticised what they described as excessive taxation on workers and poor Nigerians, calling on the federal government to grant tax reliefs to cushion the impact of rising living costs. “Stop taxing the minimum wage. Stop taxing the poor,” the labour leaders said.

The NLC and TUC further linked worsening economic conditions to insecurity across the country, warning that workers were increasingly unsafe travelling to work or carrying out their daily activities due to attacks, kidnappings, and killings in several states. “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.

Beyond wage issues, the unions criticised developments within key democratic institutions, including the National Assembly and judiciary, warning that declining institutional independence and accountability could undermine democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections. They also faulted the state of the power sector, rising fuel prices, and what they described as persistent attacks on workers’ rights in both the public and private sectors. Despite the challenges, the labour leaders said the movement remained united and prepared to intensify engagements with employers and government authorities to defend workers' welfare.

Prime Brief Media will report on further economic indicators and official responses as they become available.

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