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Breaking : At last, FG and Labour agree on ₦70,000 as minimum wage

Published

10 months ago

July 18, 2024

In a landmark development, the Federal Government and Organised Labour have agreed on a new national minimum wage of N70,000, a significant increase from the current N30,000.

The newly agreed minimum wage was reached on Thursday when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with the leadership of the organized Labour, led by presidents of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the State House, Abuja, the second meeting within a week.

Before reaching the agreement, the two sides, being government and the organised private sector on one side, and the organised Labour on the other, had held a long-drawn series of negotiations, starting with the Constitution of the Bukar Goni-Aji-led Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage.

While the negotiations were ongoing, the employers’ side (federal/sub-national governments/OPS) had offered varying amounts, starting with ₦48,000 to ₦54,000 to ₦57,000 to ₦60,000 to ₦62,000 and finally to the agreed ₦70,000.

On the side of Labour, the leadership of the workers started negotiation with a demand for ₦615,000 then lowered it further to ₦500,000 to ₦497,000 to ₦250,000 and finally agreed to ₦70,000.

However, disclosing details of the meeting and the final agreement to journalists at the State House, Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the conclusion of the meeting as “a happy day for Nigeria”.

Read Also: NLC urges FG to pay SSANU, NASU withheld four-month salaries
According to Idris, besides the agreement to the ₦70,000 minimum wage, the government has also agreed to addressing the disagreement over the withheld salaries of university workers’ unions; the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU).

The government has also pledged massive investments in infrastructure and renewable energy, including the acquisition of more CNG buses to enhance Nigeria’s transition to cleaner energy, as well as expressing commitment to ensuring local government autonomy.

“Today’s a happy day for Nigeria. You’ll recall that last week we had a meeting here and the organized private sector. The sub-nationals have also held their various meetings with Mr. President following the submission of the tripartite agreement to Mr. President. Labour came last week, they had meetings with Mr. President, they asked for adjournment for a week to go and consult further. They did those consultations, they have come back today and we have met with Mr. President.

“We’re happy to announce today that both the federal government and organized Labour have agreed on an increase on the N62,000 minimum wage. The new national minimum wage that we expect Mr President to submit to the National Assembly for legislation is N70,000. But that is not all. There is also a boost, like Mr. President has assured, in ensuring that massive investment is going to be made in the area of infrastructure.

“There is also a deepening of the investment of the federal government in renewable energy. More money is going to go into the acquisition of more CNG buses, Nigeria is going to be more CNG compliant, according to the President. We’re moving in this transition to renewable and all other things that Mr. President has assured Labour; the issue of SSANU and NASU is also going to be looked at.

“We are happy, we are very thankful of the role that the Organised Labour has done today. They recognised the federal government’s role in ensuring that we have the local government autonomy, in also ensuring that both the Organised Labour and the government are on the same page today. They have seen the magnanimity of the President and today the leadership of Labour said they didn’t come here for negotiation, not at all. They came here in their deep sense of patriotism to ensure that Nigeria remains united, Nigeria becomes more prosperous.

“It is in that spirit that they are in agreement with what the federal government has done today. We want to thank Labour for their patriotism. We also want to thank Mr President, the federal government, the sub-nationals and organized private sector for going through this painstaking effort, by also ensuring that at the end of the day Nigeria is the winner for it all”, Idris said.

Corroborating the Information Minister’s brief, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, announced that organized Labour has agreed to the new minimum wage of N70,000 after the meeting with President Tinubu.

The agreement comes after labour leaders requested a one-week extension to consult with their members, following their initial meeting with the President last week.

According to Onyejeocha, the President adopted a fatherly approach, emphasizing the need for a review of the minimum wage policy every three years, rather than the current five-year cycle.

She further hinted that the President also directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, to review the issue of SSANU and NASU payments, with a waiver to pay the outstanding amounts.

She also said the President reassured Nigerians of his commitment to the country’s economic recovery and the welfare of citizens.

President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, said the Organised Labour agreed to the new national minimum wage of N70,000 because of the President’s willingness to review wages every three years, rather than the usual five-year cycle.

While acknowledging the economic situation, Ajaero expressed mixed feelings about the agreement but noted that the NLC will take the proposal back to their constituency for further discussion and buy-in.

The agreement marks a significant step forward in the ongoing negotiations between the government and labour leaders, with a promise of future reviews and incentives like the CNG scheme to alleviate the burden on Nigerian workers.

“Well, we’re here last week and we’re here now, what they have announced in terms of the amount of N70,000 happened to be where we are now for now, but the good thing about it is that we will not wait for another five years to come and review, rather than settling on a figure that we’ll wait for five years, it’s like we’ll have to now negotiate even two times within five years, with a view to going up. That is one of the reasons why we decided to reach where we are today, because of the proviso that we can review in the next three years.

“We came with other issues in the basket, like the issue of SSANU, NASU and others, especially with the affront by the Commissioner of Police of FCT, we brought it to Mr. President, and talked on the need for that matter to be addressed and magnanimously, he asked the agencies concerned to work out the modalities for the payment of those workers in the universities.

“So far, that’s where we are. Although he promised some incentives like the CNG, which will lessen the burden that the Nigerian workers are passing through, but you can see that we are taking in this with mixed feelings because of the situation of the economy, we will have to move ahead despite the situation and the negotiation can linger. Coming from 62 to 70 and then with the promise that we’ll come back soon to negotiate it.

“We’re taking it back to our constituency to see how we can get a buy-in. So that’s what has transpired this afternoon”, he said.

The TUC President, Festus Osifo, who also spoke to journalists, expressed satisfaction with President Tinubu’s intervention, especially with the proviso for review every three years.

He also commended the President’s promise to address the issues of SSANU and NASU, and emphasized the need for swift passage of the minimum wage bill by the National Assembly and urged that the student loan scheme be targeted at those who need it most, not just the children of the rich.

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Things You Need to Know About Dr. Charles Akinola, the Newly Nominated Managing Director of SWDC

Published

8 hours ago

May 8, 2025

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….A Seasoned Public Policy Advisor and Development Strategist

Dr. Akinola has over 30 years of experience in public service, international development, and strategic governance, specializing in agricultural development, sustainable economic growth, and policy implementation across Nigeria and West Africa.

2. Holds Prestigious Academic Credentials from Global Institutions. He earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension from the University of Ibadan and a master’s in public policy & administration from Harvard Kennedy School, where he was an Edward S. Mason Fellow.

He also studied at Cambridge, Cranfield, and MIT, gaining advanced expertise in cross-sector partnerships, enterprise development, and conflict resolution.

3. Instrumental in the Formation of the SWDC and the DAWN Commission

Long before his nomination, Dr. Akinola played a key role in founding the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission for regional integration. He was deeply involved in shaping the vision of the SWDC.

As Chairman of the Technical Committee under the Southwest Governors’ Forum, he led the review of the SWDC Bill and coordinated regional consensus on development priorities.

4. Former Chief of Staff in Both Federal and State Governments, He served as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State (2018–2022) and later as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola (CON), while also acting as Senior Special Assistant on Marine and Blue Economy to President Tinubu.

These roles gave him frontline experience in both subnational and national policy execution.

5. A Leader in Community Engagement and Sustainable Development, Dr. Akinola has worked with major oil & gas companies, including WAPco, designing sustainable livelihood programs across Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. His contributions helped establish the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoUs) as an industry benchmark for community development in the Niger Delta.

6. Active Global Policy Thought Leader.

He is a member of the Dean’s Council at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and was a Fellow at Harvard’s Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs. His thought leadership focuses on governance, economic innovation, and institutional reform.

7. Arts Collector

Dr. Akinola is a lover of the arts and culture, collects works of indigenous artists, such as Jimoh Buraimoh, Demas Nwoko, Tola Wewe, Nike Okundaye, among others.

*Career Highlights*

• Dr. Charles Akindiji Akinola is a Public Policy Advisor and Administrator whose work has traversed the agricultural and agribusiness, sustainable community economic development, international affairs, and development sectors, developing strategies that shape policy implementation.

• Dr. Akinola holds a Ph. D. in Agricultural Extension from the University of Ibadan, and a master’s degree in public policy & administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

• He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Cross-Sector Partnerships from the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and attended certificate courses in Enterprise Development and Management from Cranfield University, Cranfield UK, and in Negotiation, Mediation, and Dispute Resolution from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, USA.

• Until recently, Dr. Akinola was Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine & Blue Economy and concurrently, Chief of Staff to the Honourable Minister.

• He served as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State between 2018 and 2022. During his tenure, he supported the Governor in developing and implementing policy objectives and strategic and operational plans of the administration.

• As Chief of Staff, the Southwest Governors Forum appointed Dr. Akinola as the Chairman of the Technical Committee to review the South-West Development Commission (SWDC) Bill and aggregated the position of the six Southwest States towards a joint memorandum to the Governors and subsequently to the National Assembly.

• He has worked with major oil & gas companies within and outside Nigeria including the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) / West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPco) covering Nigeria, Republic du Benin, Togo, and Ghana by designing and implementing programs that addressed issues of Sustainable Development and Livelihoods in the Niger Delta and West Africa region.

• He advised and collaborated with International Oil companies in the development of the New Community Engagement Strategy, premised on the Participatory Regional Development Model (2005), guided by the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoUs). The model was adopted as the industry standard in Community engagement and development by the joint ventures of the National Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Oil companies in the Niger Delta.

• In previous roles, Dr. Akinola was the Director General of the Office of Economic Development and Partnerships (OEDP) between 2011 and 2018. The OEDP was the strategic Think Tank, Policy Advisory, and Implementation agency domiciled in the Office of the Governor. Dr. Akinola played a central role in the activities leading to the establishment of the Development Agenda of Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission.

• He was Chairman of the Osun State Planning Commission between 2011-2014 and in this capacity collaborated with leading development partners to deliver sustainable development in the State.

• Dr. Akinola was the Founder and Executive Director of Enterprise for Development International (EfDI) between 1999 and 2009. In this role, he coordinated EfDI’s varied consultancy assignments in community economic development in Nigeria, including the expansion of EfDI’s portfolio of development activities in the Niger Delta and the strengthening of local institutions.

• Between 2001 and 2005, Dr. Akinola was the National Coordinator of the Sustainable Tree Crop Program (STCP), a multi-agency, public-private sector effort to facilitate the improvement of smallholder agricultural systems based on tree crops in West Africa with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Chocolate Industry Worldwide.

• Between 1993 and 1998, Dr. Akinola was the Nigeria Country Director of TechnoServe, a US-based international development organisation that worked in 17 countries in Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

• He taught at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria from 1984 until 1989 and was on the training and research faculty of the Pan African Institute for Development (PAID) in Buea, Cameroon 1990.

• Dr. Akinola was an Edward S. Mason Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and, subsequently, a Fellow at the Harvard Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs (WCFIA). His work focused on Innovation for Economic Development and Governance between 2009 and 2011.

• He is currently a member of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Dean’s Council.

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Update : Four executive bills, Senate passes two remaining tax reform bills

Published

9 hours ago

May 8, 2025

NewsThumb Magz

The Senate has passed the final two of the four major tax reform bills, completing clause-by-clause consideration as it aims to modernise Nigeria’s tax administration framework.

During Wednesday’s plenary, lawmakers began deliberation on the reports of the four executive-sponsored tax bills, successfully passing two and deferring the remaining two to Thursday.

However, all four have now been approved.

The bills include the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, and the Nigeria Tax Bill.

“These four executive bills seek to transform and modernise the tax system in Nigeria,” the Senate stated during the session.

The following passage, a conference committee has been constituted to harmonise the versions with the House of Representatives. Once aligned, the bills will be forwarded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his assent.

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Update: Reps Set Up Panel to Probe CBN and DISCOs Over N200 Billion Metering Programme Loan

Published

18 hours ago

May 8, 2025

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The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into the disbursement and utilisation of the N200 billion Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) loan allocated for the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) to Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs).

This was disclosed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets, Rep. Uchenna Okonkwo, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

He confirmed that a 19-member sub-committee had been inaugurated to probe the matter thoroughly.

The NMMP, initiated in 2020, was designed to provide free electricity meters to Nigerian consumers through the Licensed Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs).

The programme was a joint initiative of the CBN, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and other stakeholders in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). It aimed to eliminate estimated billing, improve transparency in energy usage, and enhance customer satisfaction.

NMMP expected to be launched in three phases
The rep said that the programme was to be implemented in three phases to ensure the reduction of collection losses and improve market remittances in the industry.

“Under the pilot phase of the programme’s implementation, CBN commenced with the sum of N59.280 billion for procurement and installation of one million meters in 2020 at an interest rate of 9 per cent after a two year moratorium.

“Preliminary research on the NMMP has shown that instead of the pronounced amount of N59.280 billion naira for the phase 0, what was released was N55.4 billion for procurement and installation of 962,832 meters instead of one million meters pronounced by CBN,” he noted.

Furthermore, concerns have been raised regarding repayment. The committee noted discrepancies in the repayment of the funds by the DISCOs.

According to Okonkwo, “Research has also shown that what the eleven Electricity Distribution Companies who received the loan have paid back to CBN as refund for the N54.4 billion they received in 2020 without mentioning the 9 per cent interest on the loan.”

The lawmaker added that the subsequent phases of the programme, which were expected to significantly expand metering across the country, have stalled. Phase 1, which was to be funded by the CBN and Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) for 1.5 million meters, and Phase 2, expected to be financed by the World Bank for four million meters, have yet to take off.

He said that the House, exercising its constitutional powers under Sections 88(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, resolved to investigate the matter with a view to safeguarding public interest.

The sub-committee is expected to scrutinise all aspects of the NMMP funding, from disbursement and meter procurement to distribution and repayment mechanisms.

The 19-member committee comprises Rep. Obed Shehu, Rep. Ali Shettima, Rep. Abel Fuah, Rep. Salisu Koko, Rep. Ahmed Munir, Rep. Sani Umar Bala, Rep. Gbefwi Jonathan, Rep. Abdulmaleek Danga, Rep. Chinedu Obika, and Rep. Okunlola Lanre.

Other members include Rep. Abass Adekunle, Rep. Akinosi Akanni, Rep. Obuzor Victor, Rep. Peter Akpanke, Rep. Ngozi Lawrence, Rep. Ogah Amobi Godwin, and Rep. Ikeagwuonu Onyinye, among others.

The NMMP was expected to be a game-changer in Nigeria’s power sector by reducing estimated billing, enhancing energy accountability, and restoring consumer trust.

However, the current revelations point to implementation failures and possible mismanagement of public funds.

Analysts believe that the outcome of the House probe could lead to reforms in electricity metering policy and strengthen regulatory oversight of loan disbursements to DISCOs.

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