The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern warning to the National Assembly against any move to transfer labour issues — including the national minimum wage — from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List, a change that would empower individual states to set their own wage structures.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, delivered the warning on Friday during the National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting of the Central Working Committee, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Describing the proposed amendment as “an exercise in futility,” Ajaero maintained that the minimum wage is globally regarded as a national standard, citing conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which recognise only sovereign entities — not sub-national governments — as parties to such agreements.
He accused lawmakers of plotting to “bastardise” the national wage framework by decentralising labour matters, including the creation of state industrial courts to independently arbitrate wage disputes. Ajaero argued that such a shift would contravene international labour norms and undermine the rights of Nigerian workers.
“The National Assembly should not go into this exercise in futility unless members will also allow their respective states to determine their wages,” Ajaero stated.
“If they attempt to smuggle labour matters into the concurrent list, we will mobilise workers to protest against it, even up to election day.”
Addressing journalists after the meeting, the labour leader reiterated organised labour’s firm opposition to any attempt to weaken the national minimum wage framework. He urged lawmakers to uphold the principles of justice and fairness in the interest of the Nigerian people.
“All over the world, there is a minimum wage for the protection of workers. In Nigeria, there is legislation for a minimum wage of ₦70,000. The law permits states to pay more than that, and in fact, many states currently pay above the minimum wage,” he said.
Ajaero warned that allowing states to determine wages independently would jeopardise the welfare of workers across the country. He further clarified that the NLC leadership was unaware of any state government that had outrightly refused to implement the newly approved ₦70,000 minimum wage.
On local government autonomy, the NLC president emphasized the need to seek further legal clarification from the Supreme Court to ensure full enforcement of the court’s ruling in line with constitutional provisions.
