News
N615,000 pay: Govs demand sustainable minimum wage
The NGF, which made the call in a communique issued at the end of its virtual meeting and signed by its Chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, assured labour of governors’ commitment to pay the workers an improved wage.
In response, the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress warned the state governors against defaulting on the new minimum wage that would be approved during the ongoing negotiations.
In January, President Bola Tinubu constituted a tripartite committee comprising government, labour, and private sector representatives to assess the N30,000 minimum wage implemented during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
Recently, the two primary labour organisations, the NLC and the TUC presented a proposal of N615,000 minimum wage to the committee.
During the May Day celebrations on Wednesday, the government refrained from announcing a new minimum wage, citing its reluctance to accept labour’s proposal.
However, the NGF, in its statement, said it was assessing each state government’s fiscal capacity and the potential effects of different proposals to determine an enhanced minimum wage that could be sustained by the states.
NGF advises committee
The communique read in part “The forum celebrates with workers across the country for their dedication to service and patience as we work with the Federal Government, labour, organised private sector and relevant stakeholders in arriving at an implementable national minimum wage.
“While we acknowledge various initiatives adopted of recently by way of wage awards and partial wage adjustments, it is imperative to state that the 37-member tripartite committee inaugurated on the National Minimum Wage, is still in consultation and yet to conclude its work.
“As members of the committee, we are reviewing our individual fiscal space as state governments and the consequential impact of various recommendations, to arrive at an improved minimum wage we can pay sustainably. We remain committed to the process and promise that better wages will be the invariable outcome of ongoing negotiations.”
Speaking on the governors’ pledge, the TUC Vice President, Tommy Etim, argued that the new minimum wage would be binding on the governors.
“Governors increasing wages are taking individual decisions as the new minimum wage hasn’t been drafted. What will be binding on governors is what is agreed upon at the federal level and that is why governors are on the committee,’’ he said.
On when the committee would meet following its inability to reach a consensus last Monday, a top official of the NLC, who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, said, “There is no fixed date yet for the meeting between the minimum wage committee and the Federal Government.”
According to him, the labour unions have placed their demand of N615,000 as the new minimum wage and are expecting an offer from the Federal Government.
The source added, “The unions have also demanded that the new Act should have a two-year life with an agreement for automatic adjustment in wages any time inflation exceeds 7.5 per cent.
“We have also demanded that every employer with up to five workers in his employ shall pay the new minimum wage and have asked for the strengthening of monitoring and compliance mechanisms to penalise non-complying state governments and organisations.”
Also, the Adamawa State Chairman of the NLC, Chief Emmanuel Fashe, said the state governor had promised to pay the new minimum wage to workers of the state without subjecting it to any further negotiations or review with labour in the state.
Speaking on the plight of workers and the need for state governors to act in the interim to alleviate their suffering, he said the standard of living of Nigeria workers had nosedived following the fuel subsidy withdrawal and floating of the naira.
He berated the governors for being”too self-centred even though the same cannot be said of all the governors as some have been very considerate in implementing the new minimum wage.’’
He however added that Governor Ahmadu Fintiri had shown himself as a workers-friendly governor hence the robust relations he enjoys with labour in his state.
“The government has implemented the minimum wage for local government workers and there’s no need for any confrontation with the executive on these matters.”
Kwara workers
On his part, the NLC Chairman in Kwara State, Muritala Olayinka, disclosed that the state government paid its workers N30,000 minimum wage and an additional N10,000 award monthly.
He explained that the unions had made efforts to prevail on the Governor AbdulRazaq to increase the monthly award but their efforts had yet to yield results.
“We have made several efforts to our governor Mallam AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq who is the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to increase the palliative award to the state workers to N35,000 as approved for the federal workers by the Federal government but we have not succeeded,” he lamented.
The labour leader appealed to AbdulRazaq to set an example as the NGF chairman by implementing the new minimum wage when passed into law.
The governor in his May Day address promised to implement the new minimum wage as soon as all processes were concluded.
“We will continue to review our responses within current realities, including the implementation of another minimum wage as soon as all processes have been concluded,” he said.
Commenting on the NGF pledge, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said the state would wait for the National Minimum Wage Committee to conclude its assignment before it would open negotiations with Osun workers.
Alimi, who said the Adeleke administration would not want to pre-empt the outcome of the national negotiation on a new wage, noted that the state would soon inaugurate a negotiation committee on the issue.
“We don’t want to be pre-emptive. All states you mentioned are free to act, but in Osun, we will wait for the National Minimum Wage Committee to conclude its assignment. We will soon set up a negotiation committee here too,” Alimi said.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero on Thursday night explained how the Congress arrived at the N615,000 minimum wage proposal which it submitted to the Tripartite Committee on minimum wage.
Recent reforms in Nigeria including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market have pushed the cost of living to newer levels. Inflation figures hit 33.2 per cent in March, further compounding a troubled economy.
Labour unions and the Federal Government have since been locked in negotiations over measures including a new minimum wage to cushion the impacts of the harsh economy.
The NLC is proposing a N615,000 monthly salary for workers, a jump from the current N30,000. Although many believe it is unrealistic, the labour union believes many states can pay it if they get their priorities right.
Ajaero in the statement said the figure was a product of a painstaking effort through which we captured the cost of living of Nigerian workers and masses in all parts of the country. It was essentially an outcome of an independent researchconducted by the NLC and TUC on the cost of meeting the primary needs of an average family around the country. Our research was based on a family with both parents alive and four children without the burden of having other dependents with them.
“A questionnaire was designed and sent to all the State Councils of NLC and TUC from where these questionnaires were sent to our members in all the Local government areas in the country to gather the monthly cost of living for the average family as described above. Below is a summary of our findings and we hope that this will enable Nigerians understand what propels our demand so that better clarity is made to create better engagement around the ongoing National Minimum Wage Negotiation process,” the labour leader explained.
Ajaero further noted that the union arrived at the figure before the increase in electricity tariff and the recent scarcity of Petrol across the nation leading to the appearance of long queues with attendant increased transport fares.
He said Any figure below this amount becomes a starvation wage and condemns Nigerian workers and their families to perpetual poverty.
“We have to remember that the old one having expired on the 18th day of April, 2024, a new one is expected to have come into effect on the 19th day of April, 2024. However, because of government’s inability to comply with the Law that demanded for negotiations for a new national minimum wage to have begun six months before the expiration of the existing one, concluding the new one has become unfortunately delayed,” he added.
Reactions have trailed to trail the disclosure by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, that Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of N100,000 following recent welfare reforms by the Federal Government.
Veterans and serving personnel have described the amount as grossly inadequate in the face of Nigeria’s rising cost of living, while some accused the Federal Government of failing to implement a more substantial salary review promised months ago.
The criticism comes amid renewed concerns over troop welfare, military funding, and the effectiveness of efforts to boost morale among personnel battling insecurity across the country.
A retired soldier, Abdul Isiak, argued that the current salary falls far short of what is needed to meet basic living expenses.
“It is not enough at all. What is N100,000 in the current situation of the country? It cannot go far. They should do better. If soldiers are paid more, they will be more motivated and committed to their duties,” he said.
Another retired military officer, Sergeant Zaki Williams, questioned the accuracy of the figure disclosed by the minister and described the amount as inadequate for personnel who risk their lives in service to the nation.
“I doubt if they are even paying up to that amount now. Even if they are, it is too little. Any government paying a soldier N100,000 in today’s economy is not serious enough about the welfare of its troops,” he said.
Williams noted that soldiers face enormous challenges and deserve better remuneration and working conditions.
Also reacting, the Coordinator of the Coalition for Concerned Veterans, Abiodun Herbert-Durowaye, said the salary does not reflect the sacrifices made by military personnel.
“How can that be sufficient for someone putting his life on the line for the country? Consider the cost of food, housing, transportation, and children’s education. N100,000 is far from adequate for those responsible for protecting the nation’s peace and security,” he stated.
The reactions followed comments by the Minister of Defence during an interview with News Central, where he disclosed that the minimum monthly salary of soldiers had increased from N49,000 to N100,000 under the current administration.
According to the minister, the Federal Government has made deliberate efforts to improve troop welfare despite funding challenges facing the military.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” he said.
Musa, however, acknowledged that the defence sector remains underfunded and requires greater financial support to effectively address the country’s security challenges.
The minister also advocated stricter penalties for kidnapping, including the possibility of introducing the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, arguing that stronger deterrents are necessary to curb the growing wave of abductions across the country.
The debate over soldiers’ welfare comes at a time when the military continues to confront multiple security threats, with stakeholders insisting that improved remuneration, better equipment, and enhanced welfare packages are critical to boosting morale and operational effectiveness.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that travellers in the United States seeking Nigerian visas must now submit their applications directly at Nigerian diplomatic missions following the termination of its contract with a third-party visa processing company.
The new directive, which takes immediate effect, ends the role previously played by Online Integrated Solutions (OIS Services), which had been responsible for receiving and processing Nigerian visa applications through its centres across the United States.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said visa applicants are now required to submit their documents directly at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., or at the Nigerian Consulates in New York and Atlanta until further notice.
The immigration service did not state the reason for ending its partnership with OIS Services.
However, Akinlabi assured applicants that adequate measures have been put in place at the embassy and consulates to ensure a smooth transition. He added that visa submission, processing and approval would continue without disruption.
He also urged prospective travellers to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States for updates on visa application procedures.
A Professor of Economics and Governance, Prof. Chiwuike Uba, has called on South African Government to take active responsibility of protecting foreigner and desist from ‘compromising inaction’.
Uba, Chairman of the ACUF Initiative for Policy and Governance, made the call on Thursday in Enugu in a statement he titled: “South Africa Is Playing with Fire, and Its Elites Are Holding the Match”.
He said that the lack of intentional action against the individuals and groups perpetrate the xenophobic attacks, who are non-state actors, raises serious questions under international law.
The don noted that “protection of non-nationals is a clear obligation, not a discretionary act.”
According to him, persistent failure to uphold this responsibility undermines both legal commitments and diplomatic credibility.
Uba said that the implications of the development extend far beyond South Africa, adding that it would have economically, politically and diplomatically consequences both to the country and Africa in general.
He noted that economically, the country is not just another market.
“It is a continental anchor. Its financial systems, industrial base, and regional linkages make it central to African growth.
“Prolonged instability would ripple outward, constraining trade, deterring investment, and weakening regional integration,” he said.
On the Political aspect, he said that South Africa had long been seen as a model of democratic transition and constitutionalism.
“If that model begins to fracture, it sends a powerful signal across the continent.
“It emboldens those who argue that institutional democracy cannot deliver, and it weakens reformist voices elsewhere,” he said.
Uba said that diplomatically, xenophobic violence is not a domestic issue when it targets foreign nationals.
He said, “It is an international concern that tests regional solidarity and diplomatic patience.
“Each episode forces other African governments to respond, balancing domestic outrage with the need to preserve bilateral relations.”
The don noted that over time, the balance in the country would becomes harder to maintain as non-state actors would be emboldened to perpetrate other unlawful acts as they view the government as weak or inactive.
The Apex sociocultural youth organization of the Igbo race worldwide, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), has described the current arrest made by the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offence (ICPC) against former Minister of Science and Technology and the 2027 People Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Enugu State, Hon. Uche Nnaji, regarding his certificate, as a deliberate political witch-hunt orchestrated by the Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Gov. Peter Mbah.
In a press address in Enugu on Wednesday, 8th July 2026, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), called on Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to maintain the commission’s ethical standards, threatening to seek his removal if evidence confirms the alleged bias of ICPC in favor of Governor Peter Mbah against Hon. Uche Nnaji regarding the 2027 Guber election.
*The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) revealed that the fight against Hon. Uche Nnaji is a battle for the Enugu Governorship and the “Lions Building Seat” in 2027, and dismissed the certificate forgery allegations against Uche Nnaji as a political distraction and blackmail.*
The surreptitious entry into the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to obtain a court order detaining Hon Uche Nnaji is a teleguided executive overreach attributed to Gov Peter Mbah apparently aimed at silencing Hon Uche Nnaji, which is highly censurable.
The Council stated that “A court of competent jurisdiction is presently handling the unsubstantiated certificate forgery case, and the University of Nigeria Nsukka and Hon Uche Nnaji have opted for an out-of-court settlement, following recent findings of misinformation.
Therefore, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), should maintain a neutral stance regarding the Enugu State Governorship battle to preserve his reputation built through his legal career and public service, and avoid being perceived as succumbing to Governor Peter Mbah’s alleged attempts to utilize executive power to blackmail and witch-hunt Hon. Uche Nnaji.
The Ohanaeze Youth Council(OYC) warned Governor Peter Mbah to concentrate on fulfilling his unfulfilled campaign promises to Enugu State rather than chasing Hon Uche Nnaji through the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)
Families displaced by the recent fire outbreak in the Asata area of Enugu have received immediate relief from the Enugu State Government following the intervention of Governor Peter Mbah, who directed that palliative support be provided to ease their suffering.
Chairman of the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ESEMA), Chinasa Mbah, disclosed that the agency promptly delivered the relief materials in compliance with the governor’s directive.
“We have given them some palliative as directed by His Excellency. Our report has equally gone in, and we await further instructions,” Mbah said.
She explained that ESEMA has completed its assessment of the incident and submitted its recommendations to the state government, adding that additional assistance for the affected families will depend on the governor’s approval of the agency’s report.
The swift response underscores Governor Mbah’s commitment to standing with citizens in times of distress. The victims, whose homes and belongings were destroyed in the fire that gutted two flats in a two-storey building on Church Road, Asata, are expected to receive further support as the government considers ESEMA’s recommendations.
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