The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticized state governors’ efforts to set their own minimum wages, calling the move divisive and detrimental to Nigerian workers. The NLC asserts that leaving the determination of wages solely to employers, whether public or private, could worsen poverty and deepen insecurity in the country.
Benson Upah, the NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, stressed in a statement that the national minimum wage is a crucial standard designed to ensure a minimum living wage for all workers. He argued that allowing state governors to set different minimum wages undermines this principle and poses a threat to workers’ welfare and the national economy.
The NLC urged President Bola Tinubu to resist pressure from governors advocating for state-specific minimum wages. Upah emphasized that the concept of a national minimum wage is not arbitrary but a collectively agreed baseline to guarantee a minimum standard of living.
He compared the governors’ demands to letting companies pay whatever they like, emphasizing that while salaries can vary, they must not fall below the national wage floor. Upah called for the federal government to take decisive action on maintaining the national minimum wage and for governors to engage in fair and equitable practices.
Upah highlighted the importance of fair wages for economic justice, social stability, and national cohesion. He criticized the tendency to view workers’ salaries as charity rather than earned income and lamented that some governors prioritize personal interests over the needs of citizens.
He also noted the ignorance of some governors on global best practices for national minimum wages, despite their frequent international travels. Upah attributed this ignorance to the poor governance and resulting hardships faced by Nigerians.
In contrast, the Southern Governors’ Forum has advocated for considering the cost of living and each state’s ability to pay in minimum wage negotiations. In a recent meeting in Abeokuta, they proposed that states should negotiate new wages with labor unions independently.
