The Nigerian government has given the green light for civil servants on six consolidated salary structures to receive a boost in their pay ranging from 25% to 35%. According to Emmanuel Njoku, Head of Press at the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), this increase has been in effect since January 1, 2024. The revised salary structures encompassed the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).
Employees in the Tertiary Education and Health Sectors have already been granted salary increases through structures such as Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) for Universities. Polytechnics and Colleges of Education have also received increases through structures like Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS). The healthcare industry saw improvements with the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS).
Workers’ wages fail to keep up with the rising prices.
Also, the government has given approval for pensioners on the Defined Benefits Scheme to receive increments ranging from 20% to 28% in relation to the six consolidated salary structures. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) responded to the federal government’s announcement regarding a pay increase by advocating for the inclusion of all civil servants in the gesture. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) urged President Bola Tinubu and the governors to focus on improving the welfare and working conditions of Nigerian workers.
Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows a 35% increase in the cost of food, resulting in stagnant real wages for civil servants, as their pay raises fail to keep up with the rising prices at stores and markets. With the stagnant monthly minimum wage mandated by the government for all employers, which has remained at ₦30,000 since 2019, the significant depreciation of the naira in recent months has reduced its value to just $19 (£15).
Privilege should be extended to lower-ranked civil servants.
While the Nigeria Labour Congress, a trade union coalition, expressed approval over the recent salary hike, they emphasized the need for the government to consider the challenging economic conditions in the nation. NLC spokesman Comrade Benson Upah expressed that while certain groups of workers are already considered privileged, there is a need for this privilege to be extended to lower-ranked civil servants who are more vulnerable. It should be noted that till now, discussions are still ongoing between the government and major labor unions regarding a potential raise in the national monthly minimum wage.
Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, criticized the Federal government’s recent salary boost for workers in six remaining pay grades as deceptive. The Organised Labour has set a deadline of May 31st for the federal government to propose a fair and just new minimum wage for Nigerian workers. This demand was made public by Labour Unions during the Workers’ Day festivities held at the Eagle Square in Abuja. The administration of President Bola Tinubu was urged to quickly approve a new minimum wage of ₦615,000 before the month of May ends.
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They pointed out that Nigerian workers are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet due to the current minimum wage of ₦30,000 not keeping up with rising living costs caused by factors such as inflation, food price increases, and higher energy and transportation expenses. Responding, the federal government reassured the NLC that despite ongoing negotiations with the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage, workers would not experience any financial loss. The new minimum wage will come into effect on May 1, 2024, as was previously decided.
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