The Nigeria Labour Congress has warned that Nigerian workers remain under severe economic pressure despite the increase in the national minimum wage to N70,000, insisting that its two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government over rising petrol prices and fresh wage negotiations remains in force.
The NLC president, Joe Ajaero, made the position clear on Monday in Abuja, where he criticized the implementation of the 2024 minimum wage agreement and called for urgent measures to address the rising cost of living.
Ajaero’s remarks came amid growing tensions between organized labor and the federal government over workers’ declining purchasing power, with the labor movement demanding petrol price relief and renewed negotiations on salaries.
While maintaining that the ultimatum stands, Ajaero urged the government to address workers’ hardship proactively rather than wait for strikes or protests to force action.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, however, called for a balance between workers’ legitimate demands for improved remuneration and the government’s fiscal capacity, warning against avoidable industrial disputes.
The exchange underscores the widening challenge facing the government and organized labor as they seek to reconcile workers’ welfare with public finances amid economic reforms and rising expectations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ajaero said the government must address the declining purchasing power of workers rather than wait for organized labor to embark on industrial action before introducing measures to ease their hardship.
He said, “I’ve not come here to discuss my ultimatum. My ultimatum stands. I’ve said something about it, and this is not a table. The fact that the permanent secretary is here does not give us the opportunity to start negotiating an ultimatum. He has replied to a letter, and we have replied to him again. So, we will go into that game.
“But to the head of service, sir, Nigerian workers are really suffering. And if you do something, history and posterity will remember all of us for it.”
The labor leader’s remarks came amid growing tensions between organized labor and the federal government over the impact of rising petrol prices on household incomes and the adequacy of the existing minimum wage.
The NLC had issued a two-week ultimatum demanding a reduction in petrol prices and the commencement of fresh negotiations on the national minimum wage, arguing that prevailing economic conditions had eroded workers’ earnings.
Although Ajaero acknowledged ongoing exchanges with government officials over the ultimatum, he maintained that the retreat was not the appropriate forum for negotiations.
He said workers were facing severe financial difficulties, stressing that the N70,000 minimum wage agreed upon in 2024 had become inadequate to meet basic household needs.
Ajaero argued that workers were struggling to afford food and transportation, adding that the situation required urgent government intervention.
