NLC & TUC Pause Strike for 5 Days and Agree to Talks Over Minimum Wage Increase

Nigeria’s labour unions, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), have agreed to a one-week suspension of their nationwide strike. This decision comes after a lack of agreement on a new minimum wage and a recent hike in electricity tariffs. The suspension allows for uninterrupted negotiations with the government on a new national minimum wage.

TUC’s president Festus Osifo confirmed the news in Abuja on Tuesday, following a joint meeting of the unions’ executive councils.

The strike, which began on Monday, brought critical sectors of the economy to a standstill as workers in schools, businesses, hospitals, and even airports were off the job. The national grid was also shut down, plunging the nation into darkness.

According to reports, the Federal Government expressed the commitment of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to raise the initially offered minimum wage of N60,000.

A signed agreement outlines two key points:

• President Tinubu is dedicated to establishing a national minimum wage exceeding N60,000.
• The tripartite committee will hold daily meetings for the next week to finalise a mutually agreeable minimum wage.

The labor unions also agreed to “immediately hold meetings of its organs to consider this new offer, and no worker would face victimisation as a consequence of participating in the industrial action.” These resolutions were signed by government representatives, minister of information and national orientation Mohammed Idris and minister of state for labour and employment Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.