The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has openly criticised several state governors for failing to properly implement the new ₦70,000 minimum wage and the necessary consequential salary adjustments, accusing them of undermining the agreement and worsening the plight of Nigerian workers.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made this known during his address at the 6th National Gender Conference organised by the NLC National Women’s Commission in Abuja. The event, which had as its theme “Accelerate Action for Gender Equality: Imperative for a New NLC Gender Policy”, brought together labour leaders and stakeholders to assess the state of worker welfare, particularly for women, across Nigeria.
Ajaero expressed deep concern that in many states, workers have seen only a mere ₦5,000 added to their salaries, a move he described as ‘the worst crime’ against labour. He noted that in some instances, after deductions from taxation and the rising cost of living, workers were earning even less than before the wage adjustment.“
In some states, workers just noticed ₦5,000 added to their salaries with no clear explanation. This defeats the purpose of the entire negotiation for a new minimum wage,” he said. “What’s even more troubling is that the NLC was not consulted during the process of consequential adjustments. It’s as if the state governments are making unilateral decisions without any input from the workers’ representatives.”
The labour leader stressed that the new wage, though welcome, is fast being eroded by inflation, rising electricity tariffs, fuel prices, and other economic pressures. “If you want to be a serious worker and go to work every day for 20 or 24 days a month, the ₦70,000 will be gone before the second week,” Ajaero warned. “School fees are climbing, transportation is worse than ever, and prices keep going up. We are living in an economy that punishes productivity.”
He added that the situation was becoming “increasingly unbearable” and warned that failure to correct these issues could lead to widespread demoralisation among workers and even civil unrest. “This has exposed us to all sorts of danger,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Ajaero noted that the NLC had not yet received formal complaints from federal civil servants about salary shortfalls but encouraged them to come forward so the organisation could take up the matter.
Also speaking at the conference, Chairperson of the NLC Women’s Commission, Mrs. Salamatu Aliu, highlighted the persistent discrimination, harassment, and abuse faced by women in Nigerian workplaces. She said the NLC’s new Gender Policy was aimed at tackling these issues head-on by promoting the leadership role of women in unions and public life.
“We still have a long way to go in ensuring women are treated equally both at work and in society. The NLC has taken deliberate steps to change this narrative,” Aliu said. “Empowering women is not just a moral obligation—it is key to building a more just and inclusive labour movement.”
The conference concluded with calls for state governments to respect national labour agreements and urgently implement the ₦70,000 minimum wage in full, with proper consequential adjustments. Labour leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to defending workers’ rights and advancing gender equality across Nigeria.
