Daniel Bwala, a former spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar campaign in the 2023 elections, says the minimum wage for Nigerian workers should be about N250,000.
Bwala spoke on Monday during an interview on the TVC news programme amid the ongoing indefinite strike declared by organised labour.
The labour had declared the strike over a new minimum wage and the recent hike in electricity tariffs for Band A customers.
On Monday night, the federal government and organised labour reached an agreement on a new minimum wage that will be “above N60,000”.
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Bwala said the demand of organised labour is deserving but not realistic.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have repeatedly proposed N615,500 and N494,000 as the new national minimum wage, citing inflation and the prevailing economic hardship in the country.
“In terms of being realistic to food inflation and the cost of living in Nigeria generally, N60,000 is nowhere,” Bwala said.
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“Even the federal government is not denying that. I don’t think anybody in his right sense will say what the labour union is asking is nonsensical. No. It’s deserving but not realistic.
“I think the government should be reasonable enough to go a little higher. And I don’t think the government is saying N60,000 is the final.
“If you ask me, I think the minimum wage should be about N250,000 in Nigeria. But if you think it’s due but there is no money, then you have to make do with what you have.”
On Monday, activities in public schools, government offices, airports, and many public institutions were grounded owing to the indefinite strike declared by the labour.
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