New minimum wage: NLC insists on Dec. 1 deadline

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has reaffirmed its stance on December 1 being the deadline for state governments to implement the new minimum wage, with potential strikes looming in non-compliant states.

This development follows President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the minimum wage bill into law on July 29, 2024, which increased the country’s minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.

The union had earlier set a November 30 deadline for full compliance but insists that no state should delay implementation beyond the extended timeline.

NLC spokesman, Benson Upah, highlighted the union’s resolve, stating that “nothing has changed” regarding the directive. “The December 1 deadline is final, and workers in states that fail to implement the new minimum wage will proceed on an indefinite strike,” he said.

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While over 30 states, including Lagos, Kaduna, and Rivers, have reportedly adjusted their payment schemes to meet the new wage structure, a handful of states, including Zamfara, Sokoto, Cross River, and Nasarawa, are yet to reach agreements with labour unions.

Workers in non-compliant states have expressed frustration, citing rising inflation and economic hardship. “We’re already struggling to make ends meet; this delay only makes things worse,” said Musa Abdullahi, a civil servant in Sokoto State.

Some state governments have attributed the delays to financial constraints. A senior official in Cross River State said, “We support the new wage but need federal assistance to address funding gaps.”

Despite these explanations, the NLC insists that workers cannot wait any longer. The union’s leadership has emphasised that strikes will proceed until every state complies with the law.

The situation assesses the challenges of balancing workers’ welfare with state-level fiscal realities in Nigeria’s evolving economic landscape. With the deadline days away, all eyes are on the remaining states to see if they will comply or risk widespread labour unrest.