Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on the National Assembly to quickly address the ongoing minimum wage dispute between the Federal Government and Organized Labour.
Drawing a parallel to the recent rapid enactment of the National Anthem Act, Falana suggests that a similar approach could resolve the deadlock over the new minimum wage.
Speaking on June 2, 2024, during a meeting involving the National Assembly leadership, Federal Government representatives, and Organized Labour leaders, Falana stressed the urgency of passing a new National Minimum Wage Act.
He pointed out that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have been driven to consider an indefinite nationwide strike due to the government’s failure to implement a realistic and livable minimum wage.
Falana highlighted the expiration of the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019 in April, emphasizing the pressing need for a review.
He noted that Section 3(4) of the Act mandates a review every five years, a process that should have been initiated by the National Assembly without external pressure.
“The current national minimum wage of ₦30,000, established in 2019, is no longer sustainable,” Falana stated.
He criticized the Federal Government’s proposed wage increase to ₦48,000 as insufficient and out of touch with current economic realities.
He also pointed out that some state governments, such as Edo and Lagos, have already set higher minimum wages at ₦70,000 per month, reflecting a more realistic approach to the economic needs of workers.
Conclusively, Falana urged the National Assembly to act with the same promptness and decisiveness it displayed in enacting the National Anthem Act.
He called for the immediate passage of a new National Minimum Wage Act that aligns with the current economic conditions and meets the needs of Nigerian workers.
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