Organised labour has vowed to sustain its demand for a N500,000 minimum wage, maintaining that the Federal Government’s planned N70,000 monthly transport allowance is only a short-term measure to cushion workers against escalating living costs.
The National Secretary of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, Gbenga Olowoyo, said labour was ready to engage the government in further talks but would not abandon its proposed wage, which he said was informed by the financial pressures confronting Nigerian workers.
Olowoyo spoke on Arise News on Tuesday after representatives of labour and the Federal Government held a meeting lasting over six hours to discuss workers’ welfare and ways to mitigate the effects of rising petrol prices.
He welcomed the agreement to provide workers with N70,000 monthly transport assistance for six months, starting in November, describing it as progress in the negotiations. He, however, urged the government to ensure that the commitment was fulfilled.
According to him, the rising costs of feeding, transportation, children’s education and other household needs have made a substantial wage increase necessary to improve workers’ living conditions.
“The template of N500,000 is still subsisting,” he said, adding that labour was open to a reasonable settlement if the government made an offer that adequately addressed workers’ concerns.
The labour official said the agreement would provide an opportunity for further engagement, including discussions on setting up a tripartite committee to negotiate a new minimum wage. He noted that the negotiations had expanded to accommodate more unions under the Nigeria Labour Congress.
Olowoyo expressed optimism that the transport allowance would be implemented as agreed, with payments expected to run from November 2026 to April 2027. He said labour hoped to reach a lasting agreement on a new minimum wage before the temporary support scheme ends.
