Nigeria Labour Congress Suspends Nationwide Strike As Negotiations Extend Beyond Deadline

Geneva, Switzerland – Following the expiration of a one-week window for continued negotiations over the minimum wage, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) announced on Tuesday that the union would not be resuming its suspended nationwide strike.

The decision came amidst ongoing discussions between the NLC and government representatives aimed at resolving the impasse over wage adjustments.

While speaking at the ongoing International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, stated that the tripartite committee had submitted two figures to President Bola Tinubu, and the organized labour is awaiting the president’s decision.

“The tripartite committee submitted two figures to the President. Government and employers proposed N62,000 while labour proposed N250,000. We are waiting for the decision of the President.

“Our National Executive Council (NEC) will deliberate on the new figure when it is out,”  he said.

“We cannot declare strike now because the figures are with the President. We will wait for the President’s decision.

“During the tenure of the immediate past President, the figure that was proposed to him was N27,000 by the tripartite committee but he increased it to N30,000. We are hopeful that this President will do the right thing. The President had noted that the difference between N62,000 and N250,000 is a wide gulf. Now that labour has demonstrated this high level of goodwill, we expect that the government will reciprocate this.”