Nigerian Unions Pause Strike, Engage in Dialogue for New Minimum Wage

Nigeria’s major labor unions, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have temporarily halted an ongoing strike to facilitate further discussions with the government regarding a revised minimum wage.

The strike, initiated on Monday due to disagreements over the new minimum wage, prompted a meeting between the unions and the government. During this meeting, the government expressed readiness to consider a higher monthly minimum wage beyond the proposed 60,000 naira ($41.38).

A deadline of one week has been provided to the government to propose an acceptable minimum wage. Concurrently, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has suspended the recall of offshore rig workers until the conclusion of negotiations between the government and labor representatives. The standoff between the unions and the government could potentially escalate if not resolved effectively.