FG proposes N24,000 minimum wage

The Nigerian Government has proposed N24,000 as the new minimum wage for Federal civil servants.

This is coming a few days after the Nigeria Labour Congress suspended its warning strike which was observed in part across the country.

The NLC had initially proposed a N50,000 minimum wage for workers, a move opposed by many state governors, many of whom are unable to regularly pay the current N18,000 minimum wage.

However, the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, has stated the federal government’s proposal on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting.

Ngige while stating the government resolute debunked the media reports quoting the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, saying that the tripartite committee discussing the demand for the new minimum wage has agreed to increase it from the current N19,200 to N30,000.

“Such information is not true,” Ngige said.

The minister further stated that when the committee reconvened on October 5, after the NLC had called off its nationwide strike, “ the organised labour came down to N30,000, the organised private sector came down to N25,000.”

He also noted that the federal government had to consult with the 36 state governors. After the consultations, he said, the federal government proposed N24,000 while governors proposed N20,000.

Consultations and negotiations are ongoing, the minister said.