The Federal Government has called for equilibrium between workers' demands for higher salaries and its capacity to pay, as the Nigeria Labour Congress maintains a two-week ultimatum demanding lower petrol prices and fresh negotiations on the national minimum wage. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, delivered the message on Monday during a board retreat of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission in Abuja. Speaking through the Permanent Secretary of the General Services Office, Dr Abubakar Kana, Akume said wage decisions must balance workers' legitimate expectations against the fiscal realities facing government and the broader needs of the economy. He stressed that a credible and inclusive approach to governance was essential for building trust, preventing avoidable industrial disputes and promoting stability for national development.
Akume identified three priorities for the commission: evidence-based wage policies, institutional modernisation and effective implementation of recommendations. He said salary decisions must be informed by reliable economic data and consultations with organised labour, employers and other stakeholders. The government official urged the commission to strengthen its research capabilities, embrace digital technology and establish measurable performance targets. He added that the approaching 2027 general elections, ongoing economic reforms and rising public expectations had made sustainable wage administration increasingly important.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Junaidu Bindawa, said inflation, changing labour expectations and pressure on public finances required a more sustainable approach to wage administration. He explained that salary policies affected government expenditure, productivity, industrial relations and public service performance. Bindawa called for stronger research, reliable data, improved compensation management and closer collaboration between the commission's board and management. The Secretary to the commission, Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas, said Nigeria needed to move away from reactive salary reviews towards a permanent, evidence-based wage governance system. She noted that the 2024 minimum wage more than doubled the previous statutory minimum and underscored the need to reconcile workers' welfare with economic sustainability.
The Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero, maintained that his earlier ultimatum to the government remained in force, although he declined to negotiate the matter during the retreat. According to him, the government should introduce measures to address workers' hardship before industrial action becomes necessary. Meanwhile, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abel Enitan, said civil service reforms were essential to achieving the government's $1 trillion economy target by 2030. He identified workforce development, improved welfare and the digitisation of government operations as priorities, including plans to establish a fully paperless working environment.
For savers, borrowers and businesses in Nigeria, the outcome of these wage negotiations will influence government spending, inflation pressures and the broader stability of economic policy. The retreat brought together government officials, labour representatives and other stakeholders to consider reforms to Nigeria's public sector wage administration, with the commission examining fair pay, reliable data, social dialogue, institutional capacity and accountability in an action plan aligned with Nigeria Agenda 2050 and the Medium-Term National Development Plan for 2027 to 2030.