The Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage has announced a public hearing scheduled for March 7, aimed at gathering input from stakeholders on the proposed new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
The committee, chaired by Ekpo Nta, Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, will convene the hearing to engage with various stakeholders in proposing and implementing a new minimum wage.
The committee, which includes retired Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Aji, is mandated to consult with all stakeholders and consider the wage in light of the national economy’s dynamics.
It is also tasked with recommending a realistic and practical national minimum wage to the government, ensuring all stakeholders are involved in the process.
Public hearings are scheduled in the six geo-political zones of the country at 10 am on March 7. The venues are as follows:
– North-East: Banquet Hall, Government House, Yola, Adamawa State
– North-West: Africa House, Government House, Kano
– South-South: Ibom Hall, IBB Way, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
– North-Central: Chida Hotel Event Centre, Plot 224, Solomon Lar Way, Utako, Abuja
– South-East (Enugu) and South-West (Lagos): To be announced
Stakeholders, including State and Local Governments, labour unions, employers of labour, civil society groups, small and medium enterprises, are invited to attend and present their memoranda. The memoranda should include proposals for the new national minimum wage, coverage of employees, proposals for enhancing productivity, and mechanisms for future reviews and penalties for non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act.
Soft copies of presentations should be sent to minimum.wage@nsiwe.gov.ng and minimumwage@gmail.com (for bulky submissions). For enquiries, contact the Director (Compensation) at 0806 555 3550.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, during the inauguration on January 30, 2024, urged members to submit their reports early as the current N30,000 minimum wage expires at the end of March 2024. He emphasized the need for a timely resolution to ensure the emergence of a new minimum wage.