The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has firmly rejected proposals to tax the national minimum wage, insisting instead on the urgent adoption of a living wage for all Nigerian workers.
Joe Ajaero, NLC President, made the announcement on the sidelines of the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland. He described any attempt to levy taxes on minimum wage earners as “unjust and insensitive” amid the country’s ongoing economic challenges.
“The minimum wage should never be taxed. Any such attempt would further strain low-income workers already facing high inflation and rising costs of food and transport,” Ajaero said.
Highlighting the disconnect between the current wage and Nigeria’s economic realities, he stressed that organised labour would begin fresh negotiations for a new minimum wage starting July 2026, aiming to avoid delays and bureaucratic obstacles experienced in past cycles.
The NLC president emphasized that the demand extends beyond mere wage adjustments. “We insist on a genuine living wage that can meet workers’ basic needs under today’s economic pressures,” Ajaero stated. He urged federal, state, and local governments to implement immediate relief measures while negotiations proceed, warning that inaction would worsen economic hardship for low-income earners.
Ajaero also noted that some Nigerian states already pay above the national minimum, with figures ranging from ₦85,000 to ₦100,000, proving that higher wages are feasible. “The current ₦70,000 minimum wage is no longer realistic,” he added, calling on state governors to take proactive steps to enhance workers’ welfare before national negotiations.
The upcoming negotiations will follow a tripartite approach involving government, organised labour, and private sector stakeholders, aiming to produce a fair, sustainable, and realistic wage structure.
