By Peter Effiom
Nigerians have been facing challenging economic times and hardship, following the confrontation between the United States/Israel, and Iran, which led to significant inflation in many sectors.
The existing N70,000 baseline is no longer viable for the typical worker due to rising living, food, transportation, and energy prices. President Bola Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage into law in July 2024, more than doubling the N30,000 that workers had to put up with for years.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), headed by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has previously advocated for a baseline of N100,000 in response to labour union agitations for an upward review of pay, pointing out that numerous states have already started independently raising wages to this level.
A ceiling of N100,000 has been categorically rejected by organized labour. They demand a “genuine living wage” that represents the true value of the currency, arguing that it is more about survival than a simple raise.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has formally announced plans to raise the country’s minimum wage, which is now set at N70,000. The government acknowledges that this benchmark has been significantly undermined by inflation and is no longer appropriate given the state of the economy.
Femi Gbajabiamila, the President’s Chief of Staff, made the news during the Working People United-hosted Good Governance Summit 2026 in Abuja.
According to Gbajabiamila, the administration acknowledges that living expenses are on the rise and that workers should be paid in line with the state of the economy.
The mandatory review window was officially reduced from five years to three years under President Bola Tinubu’s National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act. However, because of severe economic difficulties, the government is acting quickly to reevaluate it.
Additionally, the President’s Chief of Staff urged organized labour to continue talking to the government, emphasizing that better results for workers and the economy will come from collaboration rather than conflict. He gave workers his word that it would approach future negotiations as a cooperative partner rather than as an enemy of organized labour.
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