Nigeria’s five-day-old labor strike protesting low wages has been called off to allow for continued negotiations between unions and the government. The NLC and TUC unions had demanded a significant increase to the minimum wage, with some proposals reaching N494,000. However, concerns have been raised about the economic feasibility of such a high wage.
A political economist suggested a range between N75,000 and N100,000 for the new minimum wage to avoid fueling inflation. The government argues that the unions’ demands are too high, particularly as some states struggle to pay the current N30,000 minimum wage.
While the strike is paused, negotiations continue to find a compromise that addresses worker concerns about rising living costs while remaining sustainable for the economy.
Source: Business Day