FG Can Increase Workers’ Salaries Without Raising Minimum Wage — TUC

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government to improve workers’ salaries without waiting for the next review of the national minimum wage.

TUC President, Festus Osifo, made the call on Wednesday while briefing journalists in Abuja after the union’s National Administrative Executive Council meeting.

Osifo said the government had the authority to increase the salaries of federal workers independently, arguing that the national minimum wage should serve as a statutory wage floor rather than a limit on what workers can earn.

He said the Federal Government could decide to increase the pay of the least-paid workers on its payroll without first introducing a new Minimum Wage Act.

According to Osifo, government could, for example, decide that the least-paid federal worker should earn N200,000 or N400,000 and adjust other salary levels accordingly.

He stressed that such an adjustment would not amount to changing the national minimum wage because the government would simply be paying its workers above the statutory floor.

The TUC president’s position comes amid growing labour concerns over the purchasing power of Nigerian workers and the rising cost of living.

Organised labour has been pushing for a fresh review of the national minimum wage, with the current N70,000 wage law expected to expire in 2027.

The Nigeria Labour Congress and TUC had earlier announced plans to commence negotiations for a new minimum wage, saying the review was necessary because inflation and economic pressures had eroded workers’ incomes.

Osifo said workers should not be left to bear the full burden of economic reforms while waiting for the conclusion of the minimum wage negotiations.

He argued that salary adjustments and other measures could provide immediate relief while discussions over a new national wage structure continue.

The TUC has previously called for improved allowances and other forms of interim relief for workers ahead of the 2027 wage review.

The union maintains that government can take immediate steps to improve workers’ welfare while the broader process of renegotiating the national minimum wage continues.

The latest call comes as labour unions intensify discussions with the Federal Government over wages, allowances and measures to cushion workers against rising living costs.