Nation
NLC Raises Alarm: ₦70,000 Minimum Wage Not Enough for Five-Day Workweek
As Nigerian workers mark this year’s May Day amid deepening economic hardship, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has warned that the proposed ₦70,000 minimum wage is insufficient to sustain a five-day workweek.
Speaking in Abuja at the 6th National Gender Conference organised by the NLC National Women Commission, Ajaero highlighted the growing struggles of workers grappling with skyrocketing costs of transport, food, rent, and education. He stressed that rising inflation has made the proposed wage unviable for basic commuting needs.
“₦70,000 can’t cover the cost of getting a worker to and from work for 24 days in a month. That’s the painful reality,” Ajaero said.
He added that many public workers are now forced to limit their physical presence at work due to high commuting expenses, effectively rationing attendance to stay afloat.
Nigeria’s inflation, currently estimated at around 24 per cent, has eroded workers’ purchasing power by at least 25 per cent in the last year. Economists say if inflation continues at this rate, the real value of the ₦70,000 wage could drop to about ₦53,000 by July.
Former Deputy President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Tommy Okon, echoed similar concerns, stating that Nigerian workers remain trapped in poverty despite ongoing economic reforms. “Families are now focused on daily survival,” he said, urging the federal government to urgently review its economic and security strategies.
Also speaking, NLC Deputy General Secretary Chris Onyeka warned of a growing population of “working poor” in both formal and informal sectors, adding that the government appears to lack a coherent plan to tackle the crisis.
Lagos State NLC Chairperson, Funmi Sessi, lamented the unprecedented hardship faced by Nigerians this year. “Prices keep rising, and nothing is being done to ease the pain,” she said, calling on political leaders to focus on the needs of workers and urging Nigerians to support one another through the crisis.
