The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed its members to embark on an indefinite strike across 15 states, including Oyo and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), starting Monday, December 2, 2024.
The industrial action follows the failure of these states to implement the new national minimum wage of N70,000, which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024.
Despite the directive, workers in the affected states continue to receive salaries based on the old wage structure, with no clear timeline for compliance.
The states affected by the strike are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, the FCT, Imo, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Oyo, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara.
The NLC’s decision was based on resolutions adopted during its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Port Harcourt on November 8, 2024, and reaffirmed by the Central Working Committee (CWC) in Kano on November 27, 2024.
The union emphasized that the strike is intended to pressure non-compliant states into enforcing the new wage structure.
In a statement signed by NLC General Secretary Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, the union expressed frustration with the lack of progress.
“The failure of state governments to implement the new minimum wage by the end of November 2024 has left us with no choice but to commence industrial action, as resolved by NEC and CWC,” the statement read.
The NLC warned state governments of severe consequences for non-compliance and urged its state chapters to report any updates or developments to the national leadership.
President Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage bill into law following extensive negotiations with labor unions, government representatives, and the private sector. The law aims to improve workers’ welfare amid rising living costs in the country.
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