The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern warning to employers across the country to comply fully with the National Minimum Wage Act, saying millions of Nigerian workers are still being paid below the legal minimum despite rising inflation and cost of living.
Speaking at the 21st Rain School of the NLC in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero said the battle for wage justice is far from over. He noted that while some progress has been made in the public sector, many private firms and government agencies are still paying “starvation wages” in violation of the ₦70,000 monthly minimum wage signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024.
Ajaero condemned employers who exploit economic hardship as a pretext for underpaying workers while continuing to post profits and expand operations. He described the practice as “economic enslavement” and insisted that every Nigerian worker deserves a dignified wage.
He also criticised state governors and federal agencies yet to implement the new wage structure, urging the government to enforce compliance and sanction violators. “Compliance with the minimum wage is not optional; it is a legal obligation,” Ajaero said. “We will not hesitate to mobilise workers if this injustice continues.”
Linking wage justice to broader democratic freedoms, Ajaero called on workers to organise at the grassroots and return to their unions with renewed resolve. “A dignified wage is not a privilege—it is a right,” he declared.
