The tripartite committee on the new minimum wage has adjourned until next Tuesday, May 28, after a meeting on Wednesday in Abuja ended without agreement. Representatives from the Federal Government, the organised private sector, and labour unions were unable to reach a consensus on the proposed new minimum wage.
At the meeting, the Federal Government initially proposed an increase to N54,000, citing financial constraints. However, after a 30-minute recess, the government raised its offer to N57,000. Despite this adjustment, labour representatives rejected the proposal, insisting on a significantly higher amount.
Sources revealed that the labour unions are demanding a minimum wage of N497,000.
“The final proposal from labour was N497,000 and that was after the government and the private sector proposed N57,000.
“Initially, the government refused to shift grounds on the N54,000 it proposed earlier, noting that it didn’t have enough funds to pay. However, we took a 30-minute break to make further deliberations.
“We as Labour reject the proposed N57,000 and the meeting has been adjourned till Tuesday next week.
“Governors Obaseki and Uzodinma were present while Governor Soludo joined us via Zoom. The government needs to be serious as regards these negotiations.”
Attending the meeting were Governors Godwin Obaseki and Hope Uzodinma, with Governor Charles Soludo participating via Zoom. Labour representatives expressed frustration over the government’s stance, calling for more serious and substantial negotiations.
A senior official from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) remarked, “The negotiation outcome is disappointing. The government’s proposal increased only slightly from N54,000 to N57,000, while labour’s demand decreased from N615,000 to N497,000. We will reconvene next Tuesday to continue discussions.”
The negotiation process began on January 30, 2024, when Vice President Kashim Shettima, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, inaugurated the 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage. The committee, which includes members from federal and state governments, the private sector, and organised labour, was tasked with recommending a new national minimum wage ahead of the expiration of the current N30,000 wage on April 18.
Vice President Shettima urged the committee to reach a swift resolution and submit their recommendations promptly to facilitate the implementation of a new minimum wage. Following the inauguration, the committee held zonal public hearings on March 7 in several locations, including Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, and Abuja.
During these hearings, various figures were proposed by labour unions, reflecting regional economic conditions and cost of living variations. For instance, in the South-West, NLC members demanded N794,000, while the Trade Union Congress (TUC) suggested N447,000. Proposals from other regions varied, with demands ranging from N485,000 in the North-West to N850,000 in the South-South.