The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is preparing to mobilize workers for a nationwide strike on Monday, December 1, 2024, unless the remaining states that have not yet implemented the N70,000 minimum wage reach an agreement with labor unions.
As of Thursday, three states—Katsina, Cross River, and Zamfara—remain in negotiations, while 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have already complied with the wage increase mandated by the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act.
The N70,000 wage has been implemented across most of Nigeria, with several states offering more than the baseline. Lagos and Rivers stand out, offering N85,000 as the starting wage, with Lagos promising an even higher rate of up to N100,000 from the first quarter of 2025.
Other states like Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Oyo, and Niger have set wages at N80,000, while Delta and Ogun are offering N77,000. States such as Ebonyi, Osun, Benue, and Kebbi have approved N75,000, with other states setting wages between N70,000 and N73,000.
However, Cross River, Katsina, and Zamfara are lagging behind. In Cross River, tensions have been mounting after the state failed to implement the N70,000 wage. The state’s civil servants, represented by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have expressed their frustration with the delay, culminating in a two-day warning strike which began on Monday.
This strike followed a failed meeting between labor leaders and the state government on November 18, where workers accused the government of employing stalling tactics.
The workers were particularly aggrieved after Governor Bassey Otu announced a new minimum wage of N40,000 in May, which was far below the federal government’s N70,000 minimum wage, citing the state’s poor financial position. Labour leaders in the state have warned that unless the government acts quickly, they will escalate their actions to a full-scale strike.
Cross River NLC Chairman Gregory Ulayi told newmen that the union would push for an indefinite strike if the state government does not meet its demands. “The two-day warning strike is just a call to action. If the state government does not engage in meaningful negotiations, we will go on an indefinite strike,” Ulayi said.
In response, the Cross River government has reiterated its commitment to resolving the issue. Nsa Gill, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Otu, confirmed that the government had formed a negotiating committee and was working to implement the N70,000 wage or potentially higher. However, as of Thursday, the talks were ongoing, with no definitive outcome.
Katsina is also in a precarious position, with no formal approval for the N70,000 minimum wage despite the formation of a committee tasked with overseeing its implementation. The committee, which was established in response to widespread worker dissatisfaction, has yet to finalize its recommendations.
A top NLC official in Katsina revealed that while negotiations are still ongoing, the state has not yet reached an agreement with labor unions. The committee, led by Secretary to the State Government Abdullahi Faskari, includes labor representatives and state officials, and its progress is being closely monitored.
Meanwhile, in Zamfara, the state government has assured workers that it is committed to implementing the new wage. Mustafa Jafaru Kaura, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Dauda Lawal, stated that the state has set up a committee to determine the exact number of civil servants and the financial requirements before the wage can be implemented.
“We are working out the modalities and will implement the N70,000 minimum wage as soon as possible,” Kaura assured. He emphasized that the state government has a history of addressing workers’ welfare, citing previous improvements in civil servant salaries and pension arrears.
The push for the N70,000 minimum wage comes after a lengthy period of negotiations, with the NLC and TUC demanding full implementation across all states by the December 1 deadline. The labor unions have warned that they will not back down on the issue, with their resolve to secure fair pay for workers nationwide intensifying as the deadline approaches.
As the deadline draws near, all eyes will be on the negotiations in Katsina, Cross River, and Zamfara. If an agreement is not reached, a nationwide shutdown of civil service activities, as threatened by the labor unions, could disrupt life in those states and send ripples across the nation.