NLC minimum wage enforcement gains momentum as the union targets employers paying below N70,000, especially in the unorganised private sector

NLC minimum wage enforcement has entered a new phase, with the Nigeria Labour Congress vowing to crack down on employers paying below the recently legislated N70,000 benchmark.

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The union is now focusing its efforts on the unorganised private sector, where wage violations remain rampant.

Onyeka Christopher, Assistant Secretary-General of the NLC, said while many public sector employers have begun implementing the new wage, several private employers continue to underpay workers.

“In the coming months, we will focus on the private sector to ensure every eligible worker receives the minimum wage, leaving no category behind,” he said in an interview.

Christopher expressed particular concern about informal sector employees, many of whom still earn as little as N15,000 monthly. “That’s where the bigger breach lies.

These are the workers we are most concerned about. The minimum wage law offers them the most protection,” he added.

The federal government, under President Bola Tinubu, signed the new minimum wage bill into law in July 2024, increasing the minimum monthly salary from N30,000 to N70,000.

The legislation followed intense negotiations with organised labour and was introduced to address rising inflation and the economic strain triggered by the removal of fuel subsidies.

As part of the reforms, the wage review cycle was shortened from five to three years. The law mandates universal compliance, with penalties for any employer found violating the statute.

However, critics argue that the new rate is already falling short in meeting basic needs amid the country’s inflationary crisis.

Labour leaders have warned that even N70,000 does not reflect current economic conditions. “A yearly wage review mechanism would serve workers better,” one union source noted.

Christopher revealed that while federal implementation has improved compared to past efforts, “some states are implementing it improperly, and one or two have not implemented the law at all.”

Meanwhile, economist Illias Aliyu urged broader NLC action beyond wage demands. “Most states are not implementing. In the FCT, area councils are on strike due to non-compliance,” he said. He also noted that federal promotion delays were diluting the wage impact.

He encouraged the NLC to name and shame defaulting employers. “The NLC should say, ‘ABC have implemented, CBD hasn’t, EFG are about to implement,’” he said.

Without tackling inflation and reforming sectors like energy, he warned, wage increases alone would be futile. “A N1m salary in a bad economy doesn’t make sense.”

The NLC also renewed its call for accelerated implementation of the national Compressed Natural Gas programme. In a communiqué issued following a Central Working Committee meeting in Abeokuta, the Congress urged the federal government to speed up infrastructure rollout to cushion rising transport costs.

“Recognising the crippling effects of high transportation costs on workers and the broader populace… we call on the government to expedite the rollout of Compressed Natural Gas infrastructure nationwide,” the communiqué read.

The Presidential CNG Initiative was designed to provide a fuel alternative after petrol subsidies were abolished. Over 100,000 vehicles have been converted to CNG, but the NLC says that number is insufficient and demands greater urgency.

The communiqué, signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero and General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja, also touched on wider national concerns.

It cited worsening insecurity, displacement of farmers, and economic hardship as critical issues affecting workers. “When farmers can no longer access their lands to farm, famine becomes a looming danger,” it warned.

Additionally, the NLC condemned any attempt to shift labour matters from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List, calling it a direct threat to worker protection.

“All Nigerian workers must begin mobilisation… to picket the offices of any National Assembly member found supporting this,” it said.

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The NLC pledged continued engagement with government to secure justice for workers, protect democracy and push for economic reforms that improve citizens’ lives.