Nigeria’s Labour Congress (NLC) has proposed a significant hike in the minimum wage for workers in Lagos, Oyo, and other major Nigerian states. The NLC is advocating for a new minimum wage of N794,000 (around $1,800 USD) per month, citing the rising cost of living in these urban centers.
This proposed minimum wage is a substantial increase from the current national minimum wage of N30,000 (around $70 USD) per month. The NLC argues that the current minimum wage is insufficient to meet the basic needs of workers in Lagos, Oyo, and other major cities, where the cost of housing, food, and transportation is significantly higher than in other parts of Nigeria.
The NLC’s proposal is likely to be met with resistance from some employers, who may argue that such a high minimum wage would be too burdensome and could lead to job losses. However, the NLC is likely to press its case, arguing that a decent minimum wage is essential for improving the lives of Nigerian workers and stimulating the economy.
The labour union in the South West, through the chairperson of the Lagos State chapter of the NLC, Funmi Sessi, made the demand during her presentation at the ongoing public hearing of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage in Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday.
Sessi noted that the demand was jointly agreed on by all the members of the union in the South West.
