The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said its two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government is still in force. The ultimatum concerns petrol prices and fresh minimum wage talks.
NLC President Joe Ajaero stated this in Abuja on Monday. He spoke at a retreat organised by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC).
He said the N70,000 minimum wage no longer covers the basic needs of Nigerian workers. He also urged the government to act before workers take to the streets.
Ajaero Says the Ultimatum Is Not Up for Negotiation
Ajaero made it clear that the retreat was not the place to bargain. According to him, the presence of a permanent secretary does not open talks on the ultimatum.
He explained that the government had already replied to the NLC’s letter. In turn, the union had written back. He said the matter would proceed from there.
He then turned to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abel Enitan, who was at the event. Ajaero said workers were suffering and added that history would remember those who helped them.
“Whether you enter a bus or buy fuel, you will not be able to eat,” he said. In his view, the issue is not a strike but the cost of survival.
Labour Faults the 2024 Wage Adjustment
Ajaero also questioned how the 2024 minimum wage deal was applied. Some people claim federal workers got a 133 per cent increase. He disputed that figure.
He said the government simply added N40,000 to the pay of federal public servants. That, he argued, does not amount to a 100 or 133 per cent rise. He described it as the wrong way to negotiate and said workers are now feeling the effects.
Rising inflation and higher transport costs have worsened the situation. As a result, he said, workers can barely afford food and fares.
He urged the government to follow the example of other countries. According to him, those governments introduce relief measures before unions mobilise, instead of waiting for strikes.
Unresolved Disputes and Political Claims
Ajaero also raised other grievances. He recalled the 84-day strike by health sector workers, which was called off after labour leaders intervened. More than a year later, he said, the issues behind it remain unresolved.
He added that workers under the National Public Service Negotiating Council had considered industrial action. Labour leaders, however, persuaded them to hold back.
He also rejected claims that politicians are using the NLC. He called the suggestion an insult to workers who simply want better pay.
Even so, he said he was willing to take part in the retreat and contribute to discussions on wage administration.
Federal Government Calls for Balance
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, spoke through the Permanent Secretary of the General Services Office, Dr Abubakar Kana. He said wage decisions must weigh workers’ expectations against the government’s finances.
He noted that economic reforms, public expectations and the 2027 general elections make a fair wage system more urgent. He also warned against avoidable industrial disputes. “Preventing avoidable industrial disputes like we’re about to have now” required a credible and inclusive approach to governance, he said.
Akume urged the commission to use reliable data and consult labour, employers and other stakeholders. He named three priorities: stronger policy coordination, digital transformation and effective reform implementation.
Wages Commission Promises Data-Driven Reform
The NSIWC chairman, Junaidu Bindawa, said inflation, changing worker expectations and demands for efficiency call for a more strategic approach. He wants the retreat to produce a practical roadmap with measurable outcomes.
The commission’s secretary, Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas, said Nigeria must move from reactive wage reviews to a permanent, data-driven system. She traced the history of wage reviews from the Morgan Commission of 1964 to the Udoji Commission of 1974. The NSIWC was set up in 1993 as a permanent body.
She said the retreat would examine data reliability, fair pay, social dialogue, institutional capacity and governance. The commission also plans an action plan aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria Agenda 2050 and the 2027 to 2030 national development plan.
Enitan, the Head of the Civil Service, said government was prioritising digitisation and capacity building. He linked these efforts to President Bola Tinubu’s goal of a $1tn economy by 2030. He said the target is achievable if the workforce is mobilised behind it.
