Workers in the federal government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have demanded an immediate revision of the country’s minimum wage, claiming that the present benchmark of ₦70,000 is untenable in light of the deteriorating economic climate.
They maintained that economic forces had significantly undermined the ₦70,000 minimum wage, which President Bola Tinubu signed into law in July 2024. The fact is that, given the current state of the economy, ₦70,000 is not sustainable. The NLC’s Acting General Secretary, Mr. Benson Upah, stated that workers are under tremendous pressure and that the survival problem will only get worse if the government does not act swiftly.
Upah noted that the union had engaged the Federal Government on multiple occasions, urging swift action to address the growing hardship. He warned that while labour remained committed to dialogue, industrial action could be considered if negotiations failed. He also encouraged workers to remain united and active in union activities to strengthen their collective voice.
The demand for a wage review follows a wave of upward adjustments by several state governments, who have responded to economic realities with bold revisions to their salary structures. On August 27, 2025, Imo State raised its minimum wage to ₦104,000, a significant leap from the national benchmark.
Governor Hope Uzodinma stated that the decision, reached in consultation with organised labour, was aimed at improving the welfare of civil servants. Prior to Imo’s announcement, other states had already taken similar steps. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu declared a new minimum wage of ₦85,000 on October 16, 2024, with a pledge to increase it further to ₦100,000 in 2025. Rivers State followed suit two days later, also approving ₦85,000.
