The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and federal workers are raising the alarm that the N70,000 national minimum wage can no longer sustain them. With prices of food, transport, rent, and even basic services climbing daily, many say their salaries now finish before mid-month.
They point to recent bold moves by some state governments that have reviewed salaries far above the federal benchmark. Imo State, for instance, shocked many on August 27 when Governor Hope Uzodinma raised workers’ minimum wage to N104,000, describing it as a deliberate step to cushion hardship. Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, and others have equally moved their figures up.
Labour leaders argue that the federal minimum wage law signed by President Tinubu in July 2024 has already lost value to inflation. “The truth is N70,000 is not sustainable under the present economic situation,” said NLC’s Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah. “Workers are under immense pressure, and unless the government responds quickly, the crisis of survival will only worsen.”
From Lagos promising N100,000 by 2025, to Rivers pegging N85,000, and Bayelsa, Enugu, Niger, and Akwa Ibom lifting theirs to N80,000, the pressure is clearly mounting. Even Ondo, Osun, Ogun, and Delta are already above the federal floor. Workers are now asking: why is the Federal Government lagging behind?
Many say the disparity between states has made life harder for federal workers posted outside Abuja. With food inflation above 35%, some complain that their salary barely covers transport fare and rent. For them, it’s not just about numbers—it’s about dignity and survival.
Now, unions are intensifying their push for another urgent review of the wage law, warning that if government continues to delay, the frustration of Nigerian workers could spill into nationwide protests.
