The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared its firm intention to resist any legislative attempt by the National Assembly to move labour matters, including the national minimum wage, from the Federal Government’s exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list.
Such a move would allow individual states to determine their workers’ wages.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, issued this warning on Friday during the National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting of the Central Working Committee held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
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Ajaero dismissed the potential move as “an exercise in futility,” arguing that the minimum wage is universally treated as a national issue, aligning with International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions which recognize member countries as unified entities, not separate sub-national units.
He alleged that the lawmakers’ plan is a deliberate attempt to “bastardise” the national minimum wage structure and transfer other labour responsibilities to states, including the creation of independent state industrial courts for wage disputes—a move he considers a violation of ILO principles.
“The National Assembly should not go into this exercise in futility unless members will also allow their respective states to determine their wages,” Ajaero stated.
He warned, “If they attempt to smuggle labour matters into the concurrent list, we will mobilise workers to protest against it, even up to election day.”
Speaking to journalists later, the NLC President reiterated organized labour’s strong opposition to any effort to undermine the minimum wage, urging lawmakers to uphold justice and protect citizens’ interests.
He highlighted the global practice of a minimum wage for worker protection and Nigeria’s existing ₦70,000 minimum wage legislation, noting that many states already pay above this.
Ajaero insisted that states should not be permitted to determine minimum wages independently, cautioning that it would jeopardize the welfare of average workers nationwide.
He also clarified that the NLC leadership was unaware of any state refusing to pay the newly approved minimum wage.
Regarding the delayed implementation of local government autonomy, Ajaero stressed the need to approach the Supreme Court for further interpretation of its ruling to ensure full and proper enforcement, consistent with constitutional provisions.
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