The Federal Government has indicated that it is preparing to review Nigeria's national minimum wage, acknowledging that the current N70,000 benchmark may no longer reflect the country's economic realities amid rising living costs.
The development comes less than two years after President Bola Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage into law in July 2024, increasing it from the previous N30,000 and reducing the wage review cycle from five years to three years.
Speaking at the Good Governance Summit 2026 organised by Working People United (WoPU) in Abuja on Thursday, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the Tinubu administration remains committed to ensuring workers earn wages that keep pace with inflation and changing economic conditions.
According to him, the N70,000 minimum wage represented a significant achievement when it was introduced, but current realities require an honest reassessment.
"The N70,000 wage, which was a milestone in 2024, must be honestly reassessed against today's realities," Gbajabiamila said. "When the time comes to begin the process of reviewing the national minimum wage, this administration will approach that endeavour not as an adversary of labour, but as a partner."
He noted that the decision to shorten the statutory wage review period from five years to three years demonstrates the government's recognition that the cost of living continues to evolve and that workers deserve periodic adjustments to their earnings.
Gbajabiamila also called on organised labour to maintain constructive engagement with the government, stressing that dialogue and collaboration would produce better outcomes for workers and the broader economy than confrontation.
Also speaking at the summit, Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, said the success of any government should be measured by how its policies improve the lives of citizens.
He stated that governance goes beyond policy announcements, adding that meaningful leadership must deliver decent jobs, increased productivity, stronger social protection, expanded economic opportunities, and improved living standards for workers.
Meanwhile, National Coordinator of Working People United (WoPU), Williams Akporeha, described Nigerian workers as the backbone of the nation's economy, saying sustainable development cannot be achieved without their contributions.
"There is no economy without the working people, there is no productivity without the working people, and there is no national development," Akporeha said.
He added that the summit provided a unique platform for workers from different sectors to unite around a shared commitment to advancing national development and improving the welfare of Nigerians.
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