The Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have disagreed over when to commence negotiations for a new national minimum wage, with organised labour insisting that preparations must begin immediately to meet its proposed implementation timeline.
The dispute followed an exchange of correspondence between the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Dingyadi, and NLC President, Joe Ajaero, over the interpretation of the National Minimum Wage Act and the review of the current N70,000 minimum wage signed into law in July 2024.
In a letter dated October 13, 2026, Ajaero challenged the government’s position that starting a fresh review at this time would be premature, arguing that the timetable envisaged under the original National Minimum Wage Act, 2019, remained relevant despite the subsequent amendment.
The NLC president urged the government to initiate the process by inviting nominations and inaugurating the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee, comprising representatives of the government, organised labour and employers.
“The time is now. The appropriate time is now,” Ajaero wrote in the letter shared on Thursday, warning that further delays would aggravate the economic difficulties confronting Nigerian workers.
His position came a day after Dingyadi, in a letter dated October 12, acknowledged receipt of a communique issued following a joint meeting of the NLC’s Central Working Committee and National Executive Council.
The minister maintained that the current minimum wage would become due for review on June 1, 2027, arguing that opening another review process barely two years after the implementation of the N70,000 wage could be premature and disruptive to industrial relations.
The disagreement comes amid growing concerns by organised labour over rising living costs and the declining purchasing power of workers.
In a statement issued on October 1 to mark Nigeria’s Independence Day, the NLC called for an immediate reduction in petrol prices, a nationwide wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage.
The statement, signed by Ajaero and titled “Our Hope Depends on the Choices We Make and the Actions We Take”, highlighted rising transportation, food, rent and education costs as factors undermining workers’ earnings.
The union also called for the implementation of tax relief measures agreed upon with the Federal Government in October 2023, insisting that workers should not continue to shoulder the burden of rising living costs without additional support.
Among its demands, the NLC urged the government to reduce petrol prices to the levels prevailing when the current minimum wage was signed into law in 2024, begin negotiations for a new wage before the end of October and implement outstanding agreements with health and public sector workers.
It warned that failure to address the demands within the stipulated period would force it to take further action as directed by its relevant organs.
Against this background, Dingyadi’s October 12 letter rejecting an immediate review prompted Ajaero to restate the union’s position the following day.
The NLC president argued that the original 2019 legislation, signed on April 18 of that year, had envisaged a review by April 2024.
According to him, the 2024 amendment did not invalidate the original timetable, making April 17, 2027, the date by which a new minimum wage should take effect under the timeline proposed by the union.
Ajaero further argued that negotiations should begin at least six months before the relevant deadline to allow adequate time for preparatory work and prevent the accumulation of wage arrears.
Based on this calculation, the NLC maintained that the process should commence by October 17, 2026.
The union stressed that its demand was not for the immediate implementation of a new minimum wage but for the commencement of the administrative and negotiation procedures necessary to reach an agreement.
Dingyadi, however, maintained that the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019, as amended by the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024, provides for a review of the minimum wage every three years.
The two positions have exposed a disagreement over the applicable review timetable, with labour pushing for negotiations to begin immediately while the Federal Government maintains that the next review is not yet due.
