The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has expressed confidence in the possibility of reaching a new minimum wage agreement with the Federal Government by March 2024.
During a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, January 04, 2023, Comrade Ajaero disclosed that the government formally requested the NLC to nominate representatives for the newly established minimum wage committee. Ajaero stated, “The Federal Government, through a letter, has asked organised labour to provide our names for the new minimum wage committee. The list was submitted last year, and once the committee is constituted, we will engage in negotiations with the government to reach a consensus.”
Emphasizing the urgency of the matter, he added, “The current minimum wage is set to expire in March this year. Therefore, we are optimistic that negotiations for a new minimum wage will be concluded before the expiration date.”
Ajaero also addressed the issue of partial wage payments by the Federal Government, noting that only one month’s worth of wages had been disbursed so far. He urged the prompt release of the remaining payments, stating, “All outstanding payments should be released to the workers by the end of January this year.”
