Nigeria averts an indefinite shutdown as labour unions, under the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) banners, call off their nationwide minimum-wage strike. The decision, announced on Tuesday, follows a day of disruptions that crippled public services across Africa’s largest economy.
Details of the agreement leading to the suspension remain under wraps, but both sides have signalled a willingness to return to the negotiation table. The NLC’s and TUC’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja yielded a crucial step towards a resolution.
“We relaxed our action for one week so that we can negotiate,” declared NLC President, Joe Ajaero. This allows for constructive dialogue between the labor unions and the government on a new minimum wage that reflects the realities faced by Nigerian workers as a result of hyperinflation.
The decision to halt the strike comes a few hours after the federal government and the unions reached an agreement on a new minimum wage that is “higher than N60,000.” The coming days will be critical, with negotiations likely focusing on hammering out a new minimum wage that strikes a balance between fairness for workers and economic sustainability for Nigeria.
Already, President Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to present a new minimum wage template within two days.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
