Minimum wage: Tripartite committee submits report, President to decide

The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday, said the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage has submitted its report.

President Bola Tinubu, on January 30, 2024, inaugurated the committee.

The committee was tasked with the responsibility of recommending a new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers in the public and private sectors.

In a statement on Monday, the Director of Information and Public Relations, Segun Imohiosen, said the report would be presented to the President when the organised labour leaders return from Switzerland.

The statement read, “The Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage has concluded its assignment and submitted the report to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Monday, 10th June 2024.

“A formal presentation of the Report will be made to Mr. President for appropriate action, when the leadership of the Organised Labour as well as representatives of the Government and Organised Private Sector, who are presently in Geneva, Switzerland for the ongoing International Labour Organisation Conference, return to the country. The SGF thanked the Chairman of the Committee, Alh. Bukar Goni Aji and members for their commitment and sacrifices. ”

After weeks of failed talks on a new minimum wage for workers in the country, organised labour, comprising the NLC and TUC, embarked on a nationwide strike last Monday to demand a new wage and the reversal of the electricity tariff hike.

The labour unions said the current minimum wage of ₦30,000 can no longer cater to the well-being of an average Nigerian worker, saying the government should offer workers something economically realistic in tandem with current inflationary pressures.

However, the labour leadership suspended the strike for five days after signing a commitment with the Federal Government to resume negotiations and come up with a new minimum wage within a week.

The suspension of the strike followed a six-hour meeting between the labour leadership and the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday night.

To fast-track the talks, the President, last Tuesday, directed the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to present the cost implications for a new minimum wage within two days.

Tinubu also directed the government representatives to work collectively with the organised private sector and the sub-nationals to achieve a new affordable wage award for Nigerians.

On Thursday, the finance minister presented the cost implications of implementing a new national minimum wage to Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, alongside the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu.

Before the directive, the minister described the proposal made by organised labour as “unaffordable.”

Also, the 36 state governors said labour union’s demand was not sustainable.

However, on Friday, June 7, 2024, labour and the government failed to reach an agreement. While labour dropped its demand again from ₦494,000 to ₦250,000, the government added ₦2,000 to its initial ₦60,000 and offered workers ₦62,000.

Both sides submitted their reports to the President, who is expected to make a decision and send an executive bill to the National Assembly to pass a new minimum wage bill, which the president will then sign into law.