Petrol prices Hike makes N70, 000 minimum wage useless — NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans to meet with the federal government to discuss how workers can cope with the recent hike in petrol prices.

According to the NLC, the increase has eroded the benefits of the yet-to-be-implemented N70,000 national minimum wage.

NLC Alleges Betrayal by President Tinubu

Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, disclosed this at the opening of a two-day workshop on minimum wage implementation in Lagos.

He expressed disappointment, stating that labour was misled by President Bola Tinubu into accepting the N70,000 wage to prevent further petrol price hikes.

“We were betrayed by Mr President,” Ajaero said, adding that Nigerians are currently facing “excruciating hunger, poverty, and frustration.”

He urged the government to take urgent action, saying, “Nigerians are really suffering.”

Ajaero further revealed details from discussions with President Tinubu, where the President allegedly offered a N250,000 minimum wage if petrol prices rose.

“Mr President said, ‘Ajaero, you are the problem. Since we said the subsidy is gone, you don’t want to allow us to increase again. If you allow me to increase, we will pay you that N250,000,’” he explained.

 NLC Rejects Fuel Price Hike Proposal

However, the NLC rejected the offer, citing the broader impact on Nigerians.  “Even N250,000 will not be useful to us. If we continue to increase salary while you increase pump price, it will make a mess of our economy. In fact, that N250,000 may not even be enough to buy fuel,” Ajaero added.

He also mentioned the government’s proposal to fund a trip to West African countries, where petrol prices are much higher, to justify the increase in Nigeria.

“Mr President equally offered to fund our trip to tour some West African countries, where the least price of petrol is N1,700,” he said.

But the NLC declined, stating that smuggling at Nigeria’s borders is to blame for the discrepancies in fuel prices.

Ajaero lamented that despite the agreement on the N70,000 minimum wage, some employers, especially in the private sector, are resisting its implementation.

“The private sector employers in our meeting gave us a tough time,” he noted, explaining that many still argue they cannot afford the new wage.

This ongoing tension between organized labour, the federal government, and private sector employers has led to several walkouts during negotiations.

Ajaero warned that the NLC would continue to fight for workers’ rights and a fair minimum wage for all Nigerians.

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