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The Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria has called on state governments to urgently implement consequential adjustments to the newly signed national minimum wage.
TUC President, Comrade Festus Osifo, made the demand during a press briefing in Abuja after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Labour Center on Tuesday.
Speaking to journalists, Osifo emphasised the need for state governments to go beyond announcing minimum wage figures and engage in meaningful dialogue with organised labour to ensure the proper implementation of consequential adjustments.
The labour leader criticised states like Cross River and Zamfara for failing to prioritise workers’ welfare, giving example of ongoing strikes and lack of discussions as evidence of neglect.
The TUC also welcomed reports of operations resuming at the Port Harcourt Refinery but called for expedited work on all refineries, including those in Warri and Kaduna, to eliminate monopoly and foster competition in the downstream oil sector.
The labour centre further urged the federal government to expand the scope of tax relief for low-income earners and reconsider recent tax reforms.
According to Osifo, the rising cost of living, including soaring prices for school fees, electricity, and fuel—has left many Nigerians in financial distress.
On broader economic policies, the TUC President stressed the need for the government to encourage banks to lend more to the agricultural, manufacturing, and construction sectors to stimulate job creation.
Addressing concerns in the transportation sector, Osifo called for the nationwide deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructure to reduce transportation costs.
He urged the government to provide CNG conversion kits free of charge to bus operators and stressed the importance of expanding CNG infrastructure beyond state capitals.
He said, “It is not just sufficient for states to announce minimum wages of N70,000, N80,000, or N90,000, what truly matters is the implementation of consequential adjustments, workers across all states must benefit from the new national minimum wage.
“We are calling on states like Cross River and Zamfara to engage with organized labor and prioritize workers’ welfare. In Cross River, workers are on strike due to the government’s inaction, while Zamfara has yet to initiate any conversation about implementing the new minimum wage.
“We commend states like Kebbi for taking proactive steps. Other states must follow suit and implement the new minimum wage with its consequential adjustments as a matter of urgency.
“The exchange rate is a critical issue, for decades, Nigeria has relied heavily on imports, yet our exchange rate remained stable. Today, this is no longer the case, the government must revisit its policies to stabilize the naira.
“We also call on the government to pay outstanding wage arrears from the previous wage award and ensure the implementation of the new minimum wage retroactively,” Osifo stated.
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