NLC Issues December 1 Ultimatum to Governors for Minimum Wage Implementation
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has set December 1, 2024, as the deadline for state governments to implement the newly approved minimum wage. The NLC also accused fuel marketers of artificially inflating petrol prices, claiming that the current pump price is far above the actual market value.
In a statement released following its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Sunday, the NLC condemned the ongoing economic hardship faced by Nigerians, attributing the suffering to government policies that have driven many citizens into deeper poverty. The congress referred to these policies as “anti-people” and called for an urgent review to address the escalating crisis.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu approved an increase in the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 for Nigerian workers. However, the implementation has been slow, with some states still not adopting the new wage. While over 20 states had announced their commitment to the new minimum wage by early November, others have gone beyond the federal mandate, committing to pay even higher amounts.
The NLC has now instructed state councils in regions where the new minimum wage has not been implemented to begin an indefinite strike starting December 1, 2024. The union emphasized that the delayed wage implementation, combined with rising inflation and the cost of living, has only compounded the suffering of Nigerian workers.
To support the campaign for fair wages, the NLC will establish a National Minimum Wage Implementation Committee. This body will lead a nationwide campaign to educate workers and the public on the importance of the wage increase, urging them to resist what it described as an assault on their dignity and rights.
The NLC further vowed to escalate industrial actions in all states that fail to comply with the new wage by November 30, 2024. The congress made it clear that Nigerian workers will not back down until the full implementation of the minimum wage is realized across the country.
“Nigerian workers demand justice, and justice they shall have,” the communique concluded.
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