The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) made a bold demand on Thursday, calling for a new national minimum wage of N794,000 for workers in the South West region.
Funmi Sessi, the NLC chairperson in Lagos State, revealed this demand during a public hearing held by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage in Ikeja, Lagos State.
This demand aligns with the Trade Union Congress (TUC)’s stance, which stated that the overall minimum wage would be influenced by the demands of the six geopolitical zones.
Sessi emphasized that union members in the South West unanimously agreed on this demand, a departure from their earlier projection of N1 million as the minimum wage.
During the event, Mr. Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, emphasized the importance of linking any wage increase to enhanced productivity.
He highlighted the government’s focus on investment and stressed that any wage increment must be justified.
He said, “I think there will be an increase in the national minimum wage, this exercise is currently ongoing in the six geo-political zones in the country and the tripartite committee is in place to bring out a new minimum wage.
“There has been inflation, devaluation of naira and prices of goods have surged across the country, the national minimum wage is well deserved and due.
“The figure will be determined at the end of the meeting, the NLC has come up with a figure, but this is not a one-sided matter. We will come up with a figure that is befitting for a living wage”.
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, representing the southwest governors, urged state leaders to collaborate with workers to determine a minimum wage that is both realistic and feasible.