The House of Representatives has reiterated its call for the Federal Government to implement a living wage for Nigerian workers, amidst ongoing negotiations with labour unions over a new minimum wage. The call was made following a motion moved by Representative Isa Ali, who noted that the current minimum salary of ₦30,000 is no longer sufficient to address the economic hardships faced by workers. The history of organised labour’s fight for a new Minimum Wage in Nigeria dates back to 2024, when the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019 expired after five years.
Since then, labour unions have been negotiating with the Federal Government for an upward review of the minimum salary, but meetings have failed to yield positive outcomes. The House of Representatives has been at the forefront of the campaign for a living remuneration, with members arguing that the current amount is not enough to cater for the Basic Needs of workers. In 2024, the House passed a motion calling on the Federal Government to implement a living earning threshold for Nigerian workers, but the government has yet to respond.
Intense debate on Reps’ motion to the federal govt.
Also, the recent motion moved by Representative Isa Ali is a follow-up to the earlier resolution, and it seeks to put pressure on the government to act. The debate on the motion was intense, with members from both the ruling party and the opposition contributing to the discussion. The House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, urged the parliament to pass a new salary act speedily, arguing that the current minimum wage is no longer sufficient to cater for the basic needs of workers.
Then, he noted that the payment of ₦35,000 remuneration award to public servants has not addressed the challenges faced by Nigerian workers. Other members, including Ali Madaki and George Ozodinobi, also contributed to the debate, arguing that a living allowance is essential for workers to meet their basic needs. Madaki noted that the fight against Corruption cannot be successful unless workers earn decent remuneration, while Ozodinobi advocated for a benchmark of ₦75,000.
Advocacy for ₦75,000 as benchmark minimum amount for workers.
Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi, also noted that it would be wrong to pay a minimum wage of less than ₦75,000, considering the current economic realities in the country. He advocated for a benchmark of ₦75,000, which he said is the current price of a bag of rice in Nigeria, while also considering other expenses such as school and medical fees. However, not all members were in support of the motion. Representative Babajimi Benson, a member of the ruling party, called for restraint.
He said that it was not enough to pressure the Federal Government to pay a new salary without considering the ability of the Private Sector to afford it. He also noted that some states are already paying higher than the minimum amount, citing Edo State as an example. Despite the differing opinions, the House ultimately adopted the motion, urging the Federal Government to redirect the focus of the negotiations with labour unions from fixing a new minimum amount to fixing a realistic living earning threshold for Nigerians.
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Meanwhile, the House also demanded a downward review of Electricity tariff to reduce the suffering of Nigerians. The passage of the motion is a significant step forward in the campaign for a living wage in Nigeria. It is now up to the Federal Government to respond to the call and implement a realistic living wage for Nigerian workers. As the House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, noted, “We must provide living earnings for workers. We can’t shy away from living wages while talking about minimum wage.”