Abuja, Nigeria – In a pivotal development, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have agreed to suspend their nationwide strike for the next five days to engage in fresh negotiations with the federal government.
The strike, which commenced on Monday, was called in protest of the government’s failure to approve a new national minimum wage by the May 31st deadline, as well as the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
After a six-hour meeting between labour leaders and government representatives on Monday evening, a new agreement was reached. A statement signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, revealed that President Bola Tinubu has committed to establishing a minimum wage higher than the previous N60,000 proposal.
The statement further noted that the Tripartite Committee, comprised of government, labour, and employer representatives, will convene daily over the next week to finalize an agreeable national minimum wage figure. In return, the labour unions have agreed to immediately hold internal meetings to consider the new offer, with a guarantee that no worker will face victimization for participating in the strike.
This development represents a significant step forward in the ongoing minimum wage negotiations, as both sides have demonstrated a willingness to engage constructively and find a mutually acceptable resolution within the next five days.
