The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected a proposed national minimum wage of ₦100,000 reportedly being considered by state governors, describing the figure as inadequate in the face of Nigeria’s current economic challenges.

The position was made known by the NLC’s spokesperson, Benson Upah, during an interview on Sunday while responding to recent remarks by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

AbdulRazaq had disclosed that governors were exploring the possibility of a new wage structure of ₦100,000 to cushion the impact of rising living costs on workers. According to him, persistent inflation and increasing economic pressures have heightened the need for a review of workers’ earnings.

However, the labour union argued that the proposed figure would do little to address the financial difficulties confronting many Nigerians.

Upah said current economic conditions, including the depreciation of the naira, rising electricity tariffs, higher fuel prices and sustained inflation, have significantly reduced the purchasing power of workers across the country.

He maintained that a more realistic minimum wage would be closer to ₦1 million per month, given the cumulative impact of recent economic policies and the increasing cost of basic necessities.

The NLC spokesperson also contended that governments at all levels now have access to improved revenues and should place greater emphasis on workers’ welfare. He pointed to allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) as evidence that authorities have the financial capacity to support better wages.

The debate over workers’ salaries has intensified since the removal of fuel subsidies and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market, both of which contributed to sharp increases in transportation, food and energy costs.

Although the Federal Government approved a ₦70,000 national minimum wage in July 2024, organised labour has repeatedly argued that inflation has eroded its value and has continued to push for another upward review.