The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly opposed a proposed constitutional amendment by the National Assembly to transfer the minimum wage from the Federal Government’s exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list, allowing states to set their own wage standards.
Speaking at the National Administrative Council meeting in Abeokuta on July 5, 2025, NLC President Joe Ajaero described the move as a “calculated attempt to bastardise the national minimum wage structure” and shift labour-related responsibilities to state governments. He argued that this would undermine workers’ rights, creating disparities where poorer states might pay wages as low as N30,000 monthly, far below the current N70,000 national standard approved in July 2024.
Ajaero, supported by 80% of the NLC’s 15 million members, cited International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, which treat minimum wage as a national issue, to bolster his stance. He warned that decentralisation could lead to industrial courts at the state level, further fragmenting labour protections and violating global labour norms.
The NLC has threatened mass protests if the amendment proceeds, with plans to mobilize 5,000 workers in Lagos and Abuja by July 10. The National Assembly, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, defends the proposal as a fiscal relief for cash-strapped states, with 60% of lawmakers arguing it reflects local economic realities. However, critics see it as a political manoeuvre to weaken federal oversight, with negotiations ongoing amid a 33% national inflation rate.