The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has reiterated its firm stance on the December 1 deadline for state governments to implement the new minimum wage, with potential strikes looming in states that fail to comply. This comes after President Bola Tinubu signed the minimum wage bill into law on July 29, 2024, which raised the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.
Initially setting a November 30 deadline for full compliance, the NLC has extended the timeline but insists that no further delays will be tolerated. Benson Upah, spokesperson for the NLC, emphasized that the December 1 deadline is non-negotiable, warning that workers in states that do not meet the new wage requirement will proceed with an indefinite strike. “Nothing has changed. The December 1 deadline is final,” Upah said.
Over 30 states, including Lagos, Kaduna, and Rivers, have already adjusted their payrolls to accommodate the new wage structure. However, some states, including Zamfara, Sokoto, Cross River, and Nasarawa, are yet to finalize agreements with labour unions, leaving workers in these regions frustrated. “We’re already struggling to make ends meet; this delay only makes things worse,” said Musa Abdullahi, a civil servant in Sokoto State.
In response, some state governments have cited financial constraints as the reason for the delay. A senior official from Cross River State explained, “We support the new wage but need federal assistance to address funding gaps.” Despite these challenges, the NLC has made it clear that workers will not accept further postponements and will strike until every state complies with the new law.
The situation underscores the ongoing tension between workers’ rights and state-level fiscal realities in Nigeria’s complex economic landscape. With the deadline fast approaching, attention is now focused on the remaining states to determine if they will meet the new minimum wage requirement or face widespread labour unrest.