The tripartite committee tasked with determining a new national minimum wage for Nigeria has given details about its intention following the inauguration on Tuesday.
It announced its plan to adopt a realistic approach, taking into consideration Nigeria’s economic realities and the prevailing wages in neighboring West African countries.
The committee’s chairman, Buka Goni Aji, disclosed this during the committee’s inauguration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Goni Aji emphasized the committee’s commitment to ensuring that the new minimum wage aligns with the law and aspirations of Nigerian workers, noting the exceptional qualities of the Nigerian workforce.
His words, “He (President Tinubu) wants us to move forward.
“We don’t have any figure in mind. We want a very, very realistic approach, based on certain conventions on the reality of the Nigerian economy, based also on what you have in our neighbouring West Africa.
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“Nigerian worker, everyone, deserves a rise in his pay package. Honestly, we want a situation where Nigerian workers are sufficiently motivated. They would do very well because they are productive, because they are creative, they are full of initiatives, human resource base.
“I want to believe and strongly too that is second to none in Africa. That is why we are here today to ensure that our actions are in line and conformity with the law and expectation and aspirations with the Nigerian worker.”
Tinubu represented by his Vice, in his address, urged the 37-member committee, comprising representatives from the government, organized labor, and the private sector, to engage in collective bargaining in good faith.
He stressed the importance of a timely resolution, with the current minimum wage of N30,000 set to expire at the end of March 2024.
