Public hearings on the proposed new National Minimum Wage organized by the Tripartite Committee produced discordant tunes from the six geo-political zones on what the new wage should be with the organized labour unable to speak with one voice.

The public hearings which were well attended by workers in all the zones, however, saw the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) asking for figures with a wide divergence. In the North Central zone, while the NLC proposed a new minimum wage of N709,000.00, its counterpart TUC proposed N447,000.00.

But in Lagos, the venue for the South West zone public hearing, there was an agreement, whereby the two labour unions demanded a sum of N794,000 as the monthly minimum wage for workers in the southwest region of the country.

North Central Zone

Coincidentally, the North Central zone public hearing was chaired by Mr. Festus Osifo, who said in his opening remarks, that “the committee is keenly interested in receiving well-researched position recommendations that will aid in making informed decisions.”

Three categories of presentation; some states proposed figures, some states pleaded that they should be allowed to fix a figure the state could pay, and some said they are ready to pay the minimum wage as would be recommended by the Committee.

The Plateau State government, represented by its Permanent Secretary, Establishment, and Labour Relations, proposed a new minimum wage of N60,000, N70,000, and N80,000 for the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee to consider.

Nasarawa State Governor, who was represented by the Head of Service of the State, Mrs. Abigail Waya, urged the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee to allow her state to renegotiate minimum wage with workers, saying that economic realities may not encourage the state to pay a new minimum wage beyond its financial capability.

However, the Niger State government said it was willing to pay any amount fixed by the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee as a new national minimum wage for workers.

The Chief of Staff to Kwara State Governor, Prince Abdulkadir Aliyu Maher, asked the Federal and State governments across the Federation to consider paying workers both in the Federal and States a sustainable minimum wage.

On their part, pensioners, represented by the Federal Civil Service Pensioners Union Chairman, Comrade Sunday Omezi, told the zonal chairman of the public hearing, that pensioners are unanimously asking for 85% of whatever figure the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee agrees to pay workers.

However, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Niger states failed to propose any figure to pay their workers.

Those present at the meeting included: Deputy Governor of Niger, Mr. Yakubu Garba, and Nasarawa States, representative of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan; Chairman of Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage, Bukar Aji; a representative of the Federal Judicial Service Commission, representative of Labour among others.

South West Zone

The Chairperson of the NLC, Lagos chapter, Mrs. Funmi Sessi, on behalf of her counterparts in the region at the South West Zonal Public Hearings, demanded a minimum wage of N794,000.00

Members of the Tripartite Committee in Lagos

The south west panel was chaired by the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, and the Osun state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke. Speaking at the hearing, the Chairman, who is also the Minister of Finance, and the coordinating minister, Wale Edun stated that the government is ready to provide a sustainable wage to the workers across the country.

“The committee is keenly interested in receiving well-researched position papers that will aid us in making informed decisions. We recognise the importance of balancing the interests of both employers and employees to achieve a fair and sustainable minimum wage that promotes social justice and economic stability”, he said.

Some participants at the Public Hearing in Lagos

In her presentation, Mrs Sessi said the removal of fuel subsidy by the government has escalated the high cost of living and hardship in the country, stating that even though the current minimum wage has already overstayed its welcome the government must also consider economic reality.

She stated that Nigeria’s workers’ wages are the lowest in the country, at the rate of 40 dollars, adding that other African countries are paying higher than the country. Mrs Sessi stated the current wage cannot afford the workers to meet their basic needs and that also affects the country’s economic advancement.

“All the workers both in the public and the private, we are in agreement for reviews and also based on the economic realities in the country, this year April makes it five years, hence we are due for a review of the current wage. We are looking forward to a peaceful negotiation of a living wage for the Nigerian worker.

“The tripartite committee members must sit to discuss this, it is essential to carefully consider the implication of any decision made. When you compare the thirty thousand current minimum wage to what other countries in West Africa and Africa pay to Nigeria wage is ridiculous and is among the lowest compared to others which does not conform with global practices and does not allow the workers to have a living wage that affords them basic necessity of life.

“So the total that we are looking at we are looking at as the minimum wage for each worker in Nigeria in the southwest in Nigeria is N794,000. We also want to recommend that the minimum wage should remain on the exclusive list and the priority list of the government”, she concluded.

Also speaking at the hearing, the Lagos Chairman of Trade Union Congress, Gbenga Ekundayo, in agreement with his counterpart called on the government to fulfill their memorandum for the ease of the workers in the country.

Mr Ekundayo further urged the government to provide easy transportation by providing rail transportation that will connect the capital cities in the region in the Southwest region.

“The diversity of opinions, which represent public and private sector workers, employers, trade unions, civil society, and the broader public, will be a testament to the richness of our national dialogue.

North West Zone

Speaking, the chairman of the Northwest Public Hearing, Dr Ahmed Rabiu, urged all participants to express their views openly, share their experiences, and provide constructive suggestions.

“Your input is valuable in shaping policies that will not only impact the livelihoods of our citizens but also contribute to the overall economic growth and social well-being of our nation,” he said.

But Governors from the Northwest Zone were absent at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano, the venue of the public hearing. Only the Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, sent representation, while the host governor was represented by his deputy, Abdulssalam Gwarzo.

The Katsina State Governor, represented by the Commissioner of Information, Dr Bala Zango, said the state government will abide by the meeting outcome.

By provision of item No. 34 of Exclusive Legislative List, Part I. Legislative Powers, Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 5 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2019, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage headed by retired Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Bukar Aji.

On January 30, Vice President Kashim Shettima inaugurated the 37-member Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage with the responsibility of recommending the new national minimum wage for workers across the country

The committee draws its membership from organized labor, the private sector, and the federal and state governments.

The Committee has the terms of reference to consult all stakeholders on the issue of National Minimum Wage; to consider the National Minimum Wage in the context of the dynamics of the national economy, and to recommend a realistic and practical National Minimum Wage to the government.