NLC: Workers facing severe hardship, N1m salary worthless without stable naira

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says a monthly salary of N1 million is worthless to workers without a stable naira and improved economic conditions.

The NLC said organised labour was more concerned about the value of the naira than nominal wage increases, stressing that rising inflation had continued to erode workers’ purchasing power.

The union’s president, Joe Ajaero, said this in Abuja on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Ajaero said the steady increase in the cost of living has made it difficult for workers to afford necessities, including food, transportation, and housing.

Ajaero said: “Even if Nigerian workers earn N1 million, it will not be meaningful if the naira has no value.

“What we are looking for is a currency that can sustain workers and their families at least to the end of the month.”

The NLC boss stated that the ongoing conversation around a new national minimum wage must follow laid-down procedures, adding that it is governed by law and tied to a specific review cycle.

He added: “The minimum wage has not been negotiated yet. It is a process that must follow the law.

“When it is time, we will commence negotiation ahead of its expiration. It cannot be rushed because of election timelines.”

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He said the NLC would initiate the process within the stipulated window before the expiration of the current wage structure.

The NLC president also called for urgent government intervention to cushion the impact of inflation, noting that the current economic situation had not improved for workers.

He said the surge in fuel prices had worsened the hardship, with attendant effects on transportation, food prices, and general cost of living.

On the forthcoming Workers’ Day, Ajaero said any planned protest would not be nationwide but limited to states that had yet to fully implement the approved minimum wage.

He said: “Street protests, if any, will be in states that have not complied with the minimum wage implementation.

“It is not a general protest across the country.”

Ajaero reiterated the commitment of the NLC to continue advocating policies that would improve workers’ welfare and ensure economic stability.

He commended the federal government for the review of peculiar allowances and the 100 per cent duty tour allowance for civil servants, expressing hope that it would be implemented effectively.