There are indications that President Bola Tinubu may announce the new minimum wage on May 1st, International Labour Day, with the aim of implementing it retroactively from April.
According to a member of the National Minimum Wage Committee who spoke on condition of anonymity, the committee is working diligently to finalize all negotiations before May 1st, expecting the President to address the nation on Workers’ Day regarding the new wage.
The current minimum wage of N30,000 was set to expire on March 31st, but due to ongoing negotiations, the implementation of the new rate might not be ready by then. However, the committee aims to expedite the process to meet the May 1st deadline.
Discussions are ongoing among committee members, and while the government’s official spokesperson did not provide details, a presidential aide hinted that if negotiations conclude as planned, Tinubu might not wait until May 1st to announce the new wage, as it should ideally take effect from April 1st.
Meanwhile, organized labor is prepared to confront state governors who resist implementing the new minimum wage, insisting that states have sufficient funds following the removal of fuel subsidies. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum urged the committee to consider states’ unique circumstances and the ability of both government and private sector employers to pay when determining the wage.
Before now, workers across different regions proposed varying minimum wage figures during public hearings, ranging from N485,000 to N850,000. The Nigeria Labour Congress emphasized that governors who fail to implement the new wage would be violating the law, with tougher sanctions planned for non-compliant governors.
The Trade Union Congress stressed that state governments have no excuses for not adhering to the new wage, given the additional revenue from fuel subsidy removal. While negotiations continue, labor unions aim to present a unified position to ensure fair wages nationwide, emphasizing that the well-being of workers is essential for national development.
