Another Strike Action Looms as 12 States, FCT, Fails to Implement New Minimum Wage

In a letter addressed to all Presidents and General Secretaries of NLC affiliates on the 29th of November, the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has compelled its members who are residents in the 13 states that are yet to commence Payment of the new minimum wage, to embark on an industrial strike action. In the letter, it was noted that 12 states, including: Federal Capital Territory, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Imo, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Kastina, Oyo, Sokoto and Zamfara; are yet to commence the implementation of the new national minimum wage of 70,000 naira and instead have been paying the old minimum wage of 30,000 naira.

Recall that in July this year, the president of Nigeria, president Bola Tinubu signed a new minimum wage of 70,000 naira into law after the Organized Labour union contested the old 30,000 naira minimum wage and demanded for an increment that parallels the economy of the country. Recall also that the new minimum wage was agreed to in a meeting between the President, Bola Tinubu, and the Organized Labour Union, which was held to put an end to the industrial strike action which crippled activities across the nation like vehicle movements, school activities, flights, office activities and even power supply; all in order to compel the government to agree to their terms and increase the minimum wage. The initial amount that was demanded was the sum of 495,000 naira, which was negotiated down to 60,000 naira at first by the government before the sum of 70,000naira was agreed to after several back and forths.

Months later, some states in the country have yet to commence the payment of the said new minimum wage despite the declining state of the economy. On 8th of November therefore, the National Executive Council (NEC), in Port Harcourt, made a directive that an industrial strike action be commenced in any state that errs by the end of the month of November, in order to compel them to implement the new national minimum wage. The directive was further reinforced by the Central Working Committee (CWC) on the 27th of November, in Kano state.

To this end, December 2nd, 2024 has been fixed by the NLC for the commencement of the industrial strike action in states that have neither commenced payment of the new minimum wage nor announced specific dates for its commencement.