NLC Vows to Resist Move to Decentralise Minimum Wage
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has firmly rejected any attempt to decentralise the national minimum wage, warning that such a move would be met with strong resistance from the organised labour movement. This follows renewed calls from some state governors and political figures advocating for states to determine their own minimum wages based on their individual financial capacities.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, NLC President Joe Ajaero stated that the minimum wage is a product of collective national struggle and cannot be left to the discretion of state governments. He insisted that decentralising it would worsen inequalities among Nigerian workers, weaken labour rights, and erode the gains made over the years in securing better pay for the average worker.
“The minimum wage is a national standard anchored in the Constitution. We will resist every attempt to balkanise it or hand it over to state governors who have a record of ignoring even the existing national benchmark,” Ajaero declared.
The labour union maintained that the idea of decentralisation is a ploy to pay workers peanuts under the guise of economic reality, especially in states that have historically struggled to implement even the current national minimum wage.
The NLC also warned that it is prepared to mobilise workers nationwide to protest any legislative or executive action that seeks to alter the national wage framework. According to the union, the federal minimum wage remains a symbol of national unity and equity, ensuring that every Nigerian worker earns a baseline amount regardless of location.
This development comes at a time when Nigeria is grappling with economic challenges, inflation, and rising cost of living making the issue of a fair and enforceable minimum wage even more pressing.
