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

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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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Update : FG, States, LGs Share N1.894trn February Revenue from Federation Account

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The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total of N1.894 trillion among the three tiers of government as federation allocation for February 2026.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the distribution was made from a gross revenue of N2.230 trillion generated during the month.

From the amount shared, the Federal Government received N675.086 billion, the 36 states received N651.525 billion, while the 774 local government councils got N456.467 billion. Oil-producing states also received an additional N110.949 billion as derivation revenue, representing 13 per cent of mineral proceeds.

The statement further disclosed that N77.302 billion was paid to revenue-generating agencies as the cost of collection, while N259.078 billion was allocated for transfers, interventions and refunds.

The ministry explained that gross revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) for February stood at N668.450 billion, compared to N1.083 trillion distributed in the preceding month, indicating a decline of N414.710 billion.

From the VAT revenue, N26.738 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N22.593 billion was set aside for transfers, interventions and refunds.

The remaining N619.119 billion was shared among the three tiers of government, with the Federal Government receiving N61.912 billion, the states N340.515 billion and local government councils N216.692 billion.

Similarly, the gross statutory revenue of N1.561 trillion recorded in February was lower than the N1.957 trillion received in the previous month, representing a decrease of N395.138 billion.

From the statutory revenue, N50.564 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N236.485 billion was allocated for transfers, interventions and refunds.

The balance of N1.274 trillion was distributed as follows: the Federal Government received N613.174 billion, states got N311.010 billion, and local governments received N239.776 billion, while N110.949 billion was allocated as derivation revenue to oil-producing states.

New tax regime designed to boost growth, ease burden on Nigerians — Experts
The ministry noted that revenue from oil and gas royalty as well as excise duty recorded significant increases during the period.

However, it added that collections from Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), Companies Income Tax (CIT), Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Stamp Duties (SDT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) declined substantially during the month under review.

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Contempt of Court: How Onwukwem and Associates Ended Up in Jail in Lagos

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In what looked like a syndicate, a Lagos Lanlord, Mr. Lawrence Onwukwem and his gang, who specialise in swindling innocent Nigerians through properties in their care, have run into trouble and earned jail terms for fraud and illegal eviction of a couple, Mr. Olusola Alabi and his wife, Mrs. Olufunmilola Alabi, who rented an apartment from them and were summarily frustrated.

Like a thief whose time of reckoning has come, Onwukwem, alongside his accomplice; Mr. Davies Ijele, Mr. Sodiq Kazeem, and Ms. Peace Igbo, who operates under Green Birch Tech Ltd, was recently jailed for six months each by a Lagos Chief Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Eti-Osa for contempt of court.

The imprisonment of the defendants is due to the contemptuous order of the court. The court held them in contempt, which they displayed all through the court proceedings.

In the charges, marked MISC/MCE/07/2023, the court invoked Section 44(1)(a) of the Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2011 as amended against the Defendants by convicting the Directors of the 1st Defendant (including the 2nd Defendant, Mr. Lawrence Onwukwem (Managing Director) and Mr. Isaiah Davies ljele) and one Sodiq Kazeem, the Estate Manager and one Ms. Chidinmma Igbo, all of the 1st Defendant, for forceful ejection of the Claimant/Applicant for the three (3) Bedroom flat and one (1) Room Boys Quarters with appurtenances situate, lying and being at Block A, Flat 3, No. 96B, Ladipo Omotosho Cole Street, Lekki I, Eti-Osa, Lagos State held by the Claimant/Applicant as a yearly tenant of the 1st Defendant/Respondent by unlawfully trespassing into the said Apartment, forcing the door open, and removing the Claimant’s furniture and electronics, beddings, refrigerator, air conditioners and gas cooker with gas cylinder, etc. and changing the keys to the entrance door, without any Lawful authority of any Order of any Court of competent jurisdiction, whilst the Claimant’s Suit No: MISC/MCE/07/2023: and the 1st Defendant/Respondent’s Suit No: MCE165/CIV/2024 were pending before the Court.

Delivering the judgement, the Chief Magistrate, Kikelomo Olaiya Doja-Ojo, on June 5, 2025, said that Lawrence Onwukwem, Hon. Davies Ijele, Mr Sodiq Kazeem and Ms Peace Chidinma Igbo, were to be sentenced to six months in correctional centre for continuously flaunting the order of the court while also mandated to pay the sum of N250,000 each to the court.

“The claimant is to be restored back to possession. All her belongings removed are to be returned to her immediately,” the CTC read.

Meanwhile, since the court judgement, the couple claimed that only Kazeem is already serving the jail term at Ikoyi Correctional Centre, while the other three have since gone into hiding.

Reacting to the judgement, the couple said that disputes arose following an alleged breach of the tenancy agreement by the landlord, prompting Mrs. Alabi to seek legal redress in court.

The couple said that while the tenancy matter was still pending in court, Mr. Onwukwem and his partners unlawfully broke into the apartment, removed their properties valued at N25million, and subsequently rented out the flat to another tenant.

When this reporter reached out to Mr Lawrence and Ijele for comments, their telephone lines were unreachable.

However, Igbo denied allegations that she was arrested and charged to court for failing to produce Mr Kazeem.

She refuted claims that she stood as surety for Kaeem , insisting that she never signed any legal documents in that capacity.

“They have spoilt my name and career. I don’t know how to reach them. They have issue with a particular person and why involving me instead of meeting those concerned directly. I know nothing about it,” she said.

“For the record, I didn’t sign in as a surety…I was working as a secretary and HR for the firm. I was not a lawyer in that instance. I was in law school in 2021”

She, however, acknowledged that steps have been taken to address the matter, including efforts to obtain a remand order.

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Breaking : UK Tightens Security With Road Closures, No-Fly Zones for Tinubu’s Visit

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Britain will impose airspace restrictions and deploy armed police officers in Windsor next week as President Bola Tinubu arrives for a state visit hosted by King Charles III.

Tinubu is expected to begin the visit in the company of his wife Oluremi Tinubu on Wednesday, March 18, with a reception at Windsor Castle.

Thames Valley Police in a statement on its website on Wednesday, said it is working with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, the Royal Household and other security partners.

The force said airspace restrictions over Windsor Castle, which are in place permanently throughout the year, would be extended on Wednesday, March 18, to cover the period from 7am to 11.59pm.

Chief Superintendent Adrian Hall of Thames Valley Police’s Joint Operations Unit said the air restrictions formed part of a broader security operation for the visit.

“The air restrictions are just one part of our robust security operation for the state visit of Nigerian President Tinubu next week, with many measures you will see and others you will not..

“As a force, we have a vast amount of experience in policing Royal events in Windsor and significant planning, and preparation has gone into this event,” Hall said.

He said the force would take a strong stance in enforcing the restrictions, warning that any breach would constitute a criminal offence under the Air Navigation Order and could lead to arrest.

“We will be taking a strong stance in enforcing the restrictions; anyone who breaches them will be committing a criminal offence under the Air Navigation Order and could be arrested.”

The police chief said officers with specialist capabilities, including search teams, the Mounted Section, road policing, and armed units, would be deployed across Windsor, alongside neighbourhood policing and Project Servator resources.

“We will also be deploying numerous police officers to Windsor with specialist capabilities, including our search teams, Mounted Section, Roads Policing and armed units, while our neighbourhood and Project Servator resources will also be on the ground engaging with the public,” he said.

The authorities will also deploy an extensive closed-circuit television network, hostile vehicle mitigation barriers, and other undisclosed security measures for the event.

Hall said, “We will also be using the extensive CCTV network in Windsor, Hostile Vehicle Mitigation barriers, and many other security measures that you may not be able to see to make sure the event runs safely.”

He urged members of the public to support the security operation by remaining vigilant.

“The public plays a critical role to support us so we encourage them to report any suspicious activity or anything that does not seem quite right by calling 101 or speaking to one of our officers. If there is an immediate threat or emergency, then call 999,” Hall added.

Road closures and parking restrictions will take effect from Tuesday, March 17, with possible temporary disruption to roads in and around Windsor during the visit.

Thames Valley Police said it was being supported by the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services to enforce the flight restrictions. Persons with legitimate reasons for drone flying were directed to email [email protected].

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