The organised labour in Nigeria remains flexible on the new minimum wage figures being discussed, stating that no figure is set in stone.
The tripartite committee has proposed two figures to President Bola Tinubu: ₦62,000 from the government and private sector, and ₦250,000 from organised labour.
Festus Osifo, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), expressed this stance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, emphasizing the potential for negotiation.
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“No figure is sacrosanct; there is always room for adjustment,” he said. He recalled past industrial actions prompted by rigid government positions on wage figures.
President Tinubu will soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly. The TUC is working to convince the President to favor their proposed figure.
Osifo asserted that if the proposal isn’t favorable, they will lobby lawmakers for better terms.
Tinubu has stated he will only approve a wage the government can afford, cautioning against unsustainable figures at a dinner marking Nigeria’s 25 years of democracy.
“The minimum wage will be what Nigerians can afford,” he said.
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, also weighed in, warning that not all states can meet the proposed wages.
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Speaking at The Platform Nigeria, he said, “I pity the President if an unsustainable wage is approved. The consequences will be on his head.”
The minimum wage debate has seen labour reduce its demand from ₦494,000 to ₦250,000, while the government raised its offer from ₦60,000 to ₦62,000.
The President’s decision and subsequent bill will aim to balance these interests and become law.
