Mr. Festus Osifo, the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), cast doubt on the likelihood of the much-anticipated announcement of a new minimum wage on May 1st. Speaking in Abuja, Osifo indicated that ongoing negotiations within the Tripartite Committee may delay the announcement.
"The negotiations by the Tripartite Committee are still ongoing," Osifo stated. “So, certainly, May 1 will not work for the pronouncement of the new minimum wage. Except if the Federal Government wants to pay the minimum wage of N500,000 to workers,” he said.
According to Vanguard, the TUC had initially proposed a new minimum wage of N447,000 but later aligned its figure with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), settling on N615,000. However, Osifo emphasized that this figure is subject to negotiation: "The government also has its markup, and so conversations and negotiations will start and end somewhere."
Osifo highlighted the thoroughness of the process leading to the proposed wage, citing a comprehensive study conducted by organised labour. "If you look at the N615,000, you will think that the amount is right, but at about the time we did that computation, a dollar was about N1,700," he explained.
The 37-member tripartite committee, appointed by the Federal Government, continues to engage in negotiations and consultations regarding the new minimum wage. Chaired by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Bukar Aji, the committee comprises representatives from the Federal Government, State Governments, the private sector, and organised labour.
Vice President Kashim Shettima emphasized the importance of the committee's work, describing it as a reaffirmation of the government's commitment to supporting the nation's workforce. "Decisions made to salvage the economy remain inevitable," Shettima acknowledged, "but the Federal government is not oblivious to the short-term implications, assuring Nigerians of better days ahead."
Shettima urged the committee to approach its task diligently and to engage in extensive consultations to ensure a fair and decent wage that can alleviate the hardships faced by the populace.