By Ben Chukwukelue
Nigeria’s Federal Government has begun behind-the-scenes
consultations on a new national minimum wage as pressure grows from organised
labour to raise workers’ earnings amid continuing cost-of-living pressures.
Dr Kamil Shoretire, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of
Labour and Employment, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at a
capacity-building workshop organised for labour correspondents.
Shoretire said the government had not fixed a timetable for
formal negotiations, but discussions were already taking place as officials
consider proposals that could shape workers’ pay.
He said the details would be made public when the process
reaches the stage for the media to report what the government and other parties
have proposed.
The talks come after organised labour renewed its call for a
review of the N70,000 national minimum wage approved in 2024, arguing that
rising living costs have weakened its purchasing power.
Workers are seeking a new minimum wage of N500,000,
alongside an immediate wage award and higher salaries and allowances to provide
relief from mounting household expenses.
Labour groups have also called for petrol prices to be
reduced to N500 per litre, linking fuel costs to the wider pressure on workers’
incomes and household budgets.
Beyond the national wage negotiations, Shoretire said the
government was engaging workers in sectors where disputes over salaries and
allowances remain unresolved, including areas such as health and education.
Those discussions are being accelerated, he said, with the
intention that agreements reached in time could be reflected in the 2027
federal budget.
The government has not announced the amount it may propose
for a new minimum wage, leaving the figure to be determined through
negotiations involving the relevant parties.
For now, Shoretire’s disclosure confirms that preparations
have started, although formal talks and an official timetable are yet to be
announced.
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