NLC says N70k wage has lost value

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and federal workers have renewed calls for an urgent upward review of the national minimum wage, arguing that the current N70,000 benchmark no longer meets the realities of daily survival.

Their demand comes as several states across the federation have already raised salaries above the federal minimum in response to soaring inflation and rising living costs.

President Bola Tinubu had in July 2024 signed the new National Minimum Wage Act into law, increasing pay from N30,000 to N70,000 for public and private sector workers nationwide. But labour leaders now insist the law is already outdated.

Highlighting recent adjustments by states, they pointed to Imo State’s decision on August 27, 2025, to raise its minimum wage to N104,000 after negotiations with organised labour. Governor Hope Uzodinma described the move as part of his administration’s effort to improve workers’ welfare.

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Other states had also made upward reviews earlier: Lagos increased wages to N85,000 in October 2024 with a pledge to reach N100,000 by 2025; Rivers matched Lagos at N85,000; Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu, and Akwa Ibom opted for N80,000; Ogun and Delta raised theirs to N77,000; Benue and Osun fixed N75,000; while Ondo set its rate at N73,000.

Speaking in Abuja, Acting NLC General Secretary Benson Upah said inflation has wiped out the value of the current wage, leaving workers struggling with skyrocketing costs of food, transport, housing, and other essentials.

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“The truth is that N70,000 is not sustainable under the present economic situation. Workers are under immense pressure, and unless the government acts swiftly, the survival crisis will only deepen. We have consistently engaged the Federal Government on this issue across different platforms,” Upah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).