Minimum Wage: December 1 Deadline Stands – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has reaffirmed that its December 1 deadline for all states to implement the new minimum wage remains in effect.

Recall that on July 29, 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed the minimum wage bill into law.

The legislation increased the country’s minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.

Also on November 11, NLC announced November 30 as the deadline for all state governments to implement the new minimum wage for their workers.

The union mandated its members to embark on an indefinite strike in states where the new minimum wage is yet to be implemented after the deadline.

However, several states have signed the new minimum wage scheme into effect, with over 30 governors agreeing to set the lowest monthly salary for workers at N70,000 and above.

Zamfara, Sokoto, Cross Rivers, and Nasarawa, among others, have yet to reach an agreement on improved payment for their workers.

NLC spokesman, Benson Upah, while speaking on the deadline, said nothing has changed as per the directive despite the majority of the states implementing the new minimum wage.

“Majority is not everybody. All states must heed the union’s directive or we’ll carry out our threats,” he said.