…Says Current Pay No Longer Reflects Economic Realities
…Promises Workers-Friendly Talks With Organised Labour
Daud Olatunji
The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has disclosed that the Federal Government will review the N70,000 national minimum wage, acknowledging that the salary benchmark approved in 2024 no longer reflects Nigeria’s current economic realities.
Gbajabiamila made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja while speaking at an event organised by Working People United.
He said the administration of President Bola Tinubu remained committed to ensuring Nigerian workers earn wages that are fair and commensurate with prevailing economic conditions.
According to him, the N70,000 minimum wage, which was celebrated as a landmark achievement when it was introduced in 2024, now requires reassessment due to rising living costs.
“The N70,000 wage, which was a milestone in 2024, must be honestly reassessed against today’s realities,” Gbajabiamila said.
He assured organised labour that the Federal Government would engage workers constructively whenever the review process begins.
“I can confirm to you that when the time comes to begin the process of reviewing the national minimum wage, this administration will approach that endeavour not as an adversary of labour, but as a partner,” he said.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives added that President Tinubu had consistently demonstrated his commitment to workers’ welfare.
“President Tinubu has said time and again that the custodians of the nation’s machinery deserve a fair and commensurate wage. This is the President who means precisely what he says and does exactly what he means,” he stated.
Gbajabiamila also stressed the need for sustained collaboration between the government and organised labour, describing dialogue as the best pathway to resolving industrial disputes.
He said good governance could only thrive through partnership between leaders and citizens, urging labour unions to embrace engagement over confrontation.
“It is with this understanding in mind that I ask the leaders of organised labour and members of Working People United to remain what you have so often been at your finest—partners in progress rather than antagonists in perpetuity.
“Let us choose dialogue over disruption because, as we have proved again and again, we achieve far more when we work together than when we retreat to our separate corners,” he added.
The Federal Government approved the N70,000 national minimum wage in 2024 following months of negotiations with organised labour.
However, labour unions and economic analysts have continued to argue that soaring inflation and the rising cost of living have significantly eroded the purchasing power of the wage, fuelling fresh calls for an upward review.
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