Indications suggest that President Bola Tinubu might announce the new minimum wage on May 1, International Labour Day, and backdate its implementation to April.
The National Minimum Wage Committee aims to finalize all negotiations before then for the President’s Workers’ Day address.
A committee member shared that the committee is yet to reach the negotiation stage, and the timeline for the new rate might not meet the March 31 deadline when the current minimum wage of N30,000 expires. The committee will collate reports from zonal public hearings and consider inputs from various stakeholders like NLC, TUC, NECA, and state governors before arriving at an agreeable rate.
While the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed, was unreachable for comments, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, mentioned ongoing talks among committee members, acknowledging the urgency of their task.
A presidential aide hinted that President Tinubu might announce the new minimum wage before May 1 if the committee concludes its work as planned, considering that the new wage should ideally start on April 1 according to the law.
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Meanwhile, Organised Labour has warned state governors against any attempt to undermine the full implementation of the new minimum wage, asserting that they will not accept anything less. Labour’s stance comes in response to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum urging the committee to consider each state’s unique circumstances in determining the wage amount.
As discussions continue, the NLC and TUC have expressed their readiness to ensure tougher sanctions are imposed on governors and private sector employers who fail to comply with the new minimum wage law once it is enacted. They emphasize that the ability to pay is there, especially with the removal of fuel subsidy providing more funds to state governments.