Why we want N436, 500 living wage for Nigerian workers—NLC, TUC

Joseph Irikefe

In anticipation of talks on a new national minimum wage, the organised labour union (Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress) has tabled a new minimum wage of $300 (N436,500) for Nigerian workers before the Federal Government. Labour said the proposed N436,500 was due to the fall in the value of the naira against the dollar.

This suggestion was made by Comrade Benjamin Anthony, the chairman of the Trade Unions’ team in the Joint Meeting of the National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC). He made this proposal at the 2023 meetings of the Separate and Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council held in Goshen City, Nasarawa State, on Tuesday.

The union contended that the high exchange rate and the sudden elimination of fuel subsidies had degraded the country’s existing N30, 000 minimum salary, making it more expensive to live in the nation.

Anthony, who was represented by Comrade Boma Mohammed, the secretary of the union, expressed disapproval of the Federal Government’s recent salary payment delays to employees, stating that such a practice must be reversed to prevent the already intolerable suffering in the country from happening again.

He said: “In light of the above, Labour has proposed a Living Wage of $300 (N436, 500) for Nigerian Workers. This is due to the fall in the value of our currency, today if you carry N100, 000 to the market you will come back with a leather bag of items.

“We call on the government to immediately pay the arrears of the N35, 000 wage awards along with the current and expedited action on the process of getting a new living wage to bring succour to the working class people of Nigeria.”