Minimum wage: Nothing has changed about our December 1 deadline, says NLC

The National Labour Congress (NLC) says its December 1 deadline for all states to implement the new minimum wage still stands. 

On July 29, 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed the minimum wage bill into law.

The legislation increased the country’s minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.

On November 11, NLC announced November 30th as the deadline for all state governments to implement the new minimum wage for their workers.

The union ordered its members to embark on an indefinite strike in states where the new minimum wage is yet to be implemented by the deadline.

However, several states have signed the new minimum wage scheme into effect. Over 30 governors have agreed to set the lowest monthly salary for workers at N70,000 and above.

Zamfara, Sokoto, Cross Rivers, and Nasarawa, among others, have yet to reach an agreement on improved payment for their workers.

Speaking on the deadline, Benson Upah, NLC spokesperson, said “nothing has changed as per that directive” despite the majority of the states implementing the new minimum wage.

In a text message to TheCable on Saturday, Upah said “majority is not everybody”. adding that all states must heed the union’s directive or “we’ll carry out our threats”.