Minimum Wage Crisis: Labour Threatens 30-Day Strike Over Decentralisation Plans

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a 30-day strike warning in response to the National Assembly’s proposal to deregulate the national minimum wage. The move, which aims to decentralize wage negotiations to the state level, has sparked significant backlash from the labour sector.

During the 67th Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association Annual General Meeting in Lagos, NLC President Joe Ajaero voiced the union’s opposition to the legislative efforts. “A Joint Committee of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Judiciary is meeting to remove section 34 from the Exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list,” Ajaero said. “This would allow state governors to determine wages, effectively eliminating the national minimum wage. We cannot allow this to happen.”

Ajaero emphasized the potential consequences of such a law, warning that a nationwide strike would be inevitable. “If the National Assembly passes this law, the country will face a month-long shutdown. We refuse to accept any situation where state governors and National Assembly members impose a ‘slave wage’ on workers, forcing poverty on citizens.”

The NLC President also highlighted the constitutional provision for equal pay for equal work, arguing that decentralizing wages would undermine this principle. “Paying different wages for the same work across states contradicts the concept of equity and equality before the law,” he stated. Ajaero further noted that the International Labour Organisation recognizes wage setting as a national responsibility, not a sub-national one.

Despite these concerns, a proposal before the National Assembly Committees on Constitutional Review aims to move the minimum wage from the exclusive list to the concurrent legislative list. Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, confirmed the existence of such a proposal, acknowledging the differing opinions on the matter.

Chinda suggested that the Federal Government should maintain a minimum living wage applicable nationwide, with states and firms free to exceed this baseline but not fall below it. He warned that decentralizing wage regulation could weaken the labour movement and disrupt standardization in labour disputes.

The labour crisis comes amid ongoing economic challenges, including the recent removal of oil subsidies. Ajaero argued that addressing wage issues proactively could have mitigated these challenges. He reiterated that the labour movement would not tolerate “slave wages” and called on governors to demonstrate better fiscal management and governance.