The Federal Government has begun consultations for a new national minimum wage ahead of fresh negotiations to improve workers’ earnings and welfare.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr. Kamil Shoretire, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at a capacity-building workshop for labour correspondents.
According to him, government is yet to fix a formal timetable for the negotiations, but background engagements are already ongoing.
“We are yet to announce the timetable for that, but background discussions are already ongoing. When it’s time to get the press involved in what has been proposed and what is being negotiated, it will be revealed to you,” Shoretire said.
He said the consultations cover broader wage and allowance issues, with collective bargaining ongoing in sectors such as health and education.
“Various discussions with health, education and other sectors that have lots of issues in terms of wages and allowances are ongoing and they are being fast-tracked so that the ones that are agreed will reflect in next year’s budget,” he stated.
Shoretire also revealed that the Federal Government has responded to the complaint filed against it by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, at the International Labour Organisation, ILO, meeting the September 1 deadline set by the global body.
“Let me start with the ILO. We have met the deadline. We have responded to the request from ILO. I was there when a complaint was filed by the NLC against the Nigerian government at the ILO on some of the labour issues that are yet to be resolved in the country,” he said.
“We responded at the ILO, but we also got that certain areas were not addressed or were pending. So those ones were the ones that we got a deadline on September 1, and we have responded accordingly.”
The NLC had petitioned the ILO at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, alleging violation of workers’ rights under the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949, Convention No. 98.
The Congress accused government of persistent violations, claiming trade union leaders were threatened, assaulted, intimidated and victimised, and asked the ILO Committee to find Nigeria in breach of Articles 1, 2 and 4 of the convention.
Shoretire described such petitions as normal practice when workers feel labour issues are not being adequately addressed.
On the outstanding wage award, he said government has not ordered its stoppage, adding that additional incentives for workers and other citizens would be announced in coming weeks.
The move comes amid mounting pressure from organised labour for a review of the N70,000 minimum wage approved in 2024, which unions say has been eroded by rising cost of living.
The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, Trade Union Side, had recently demanded immediate constitution of a committee to negotiate a new wage ahead of January 2027, as well as upward review of salaries and allowances.
Shoretire, however, said government remains committed to workers’ welfare and to ensuring that negotiations are properly concluded. He urged labour reporters to report with accuracy and fairness to avoid heightening industrial tension.
Head of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Annah Daniel, said the workshop was aimed at strengthening collaboration with the media, while also addressing emerging world of work issues including artificial intelligence, gig economy, social security, migration, occupational safety and skills development.
