The Federal Executive Council (FEC) of Nigeria has decided to temporarily halt the proposal for a new minimum wage to allow President Bola Tinubu to consult with state governors and the private sector. This decision was announced by Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information, following a FEC meeting on June 25. Idris emphasized that the new minimum wage decision will have wide-reaching implications for the federal government, state governments, local governments, and the organized private sector.
President Tinubu intends to make a well-informed decision through extensive consultations with all relevant stakeholders. The aim is to present a balanced proposal to the National Assembly after considering inputs from various sectors.
However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed dissatisfaction with this delay. Benson Upah, the NLC spokesperson, stated that postponing the minimum wage memo could lead to harmful speculations. The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) also expressed concerns, with Deputy National President Tommy Etim highlighting the need for clarity on various issues, such as the acceptable wage amount, review frequency, and criteria, before the proposal is considered by FEC and sent to the National Assembly.