President Bola Tinubu has instructed Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance, to compile the cost implications for a new minimum wage within a two-day timeframe.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, disclosed that Tinubu convened a meeting with Federal Government representatives involved in minimum wage negotiations with labour.
The meeting, attended by key officials including George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and National Planning; Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Productivity; and Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, aimed to chart a course forward in the wage discussions.
Idris outlined that Tinubu instructed Edun to finalize the financial calculations and present the new minimum wage figures within two days.
This presentation will serve as the foundation for subsequent negotiations.
“Tinubu is committed to endorsing the resolutions of the tripartite committee on the new minimum wage,” Idris emphasized, adding that the federal government’s stance is not against a wage increase but rather focused on ensuring realistic and sustainable commitments.
“We were all there to address all concerns, and the president has directed the finance minister to expedite the calculations and revert back to him within today and tomorrow for negotiation discussions with labour,” the minister stated.
He reiterated the president’s dedication to adopting the committee’s recommendations while prioritizing the welfare of Nigerians.
“The government is not opposed to labour discussions or wage adjustments,” Idris affirmed, noting that the committee’s mandate is to collaboratively devise an affordable, sustainable, and pragmatic minimum wage solution.
“We will collectively endeavor over the next week to formulate a new wage structure for Nigeria that is both acceptable and viable,” he concluded.
Earlier, organized labour had temporarily suspended its indefinite strike action for one week to engage in negotiations with the federal government concerning the new minimum wage demand, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing wage dispute.