As Nigeria grapples with an unrelenting cost-of-living crisis, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has warned that even the proposed N70,000 minimum wage is grossly insufficient for the average Nigerian worker to survive, let alone commute to work five days a week.
Speaking during the 6th National Gender Conference organised by the NLC National Women Commission in Abuja on May 1st, Ajaero lamented that inflation has rendered the N70,000 minimum wage structure ineffective. He noted that transport costs alone make it nearly impossible for public workers to maintain regular office attendance.
“N70,000 minimum wage is not enough to transport a worker to and from work for 24 days in a month. That’s the painful reality we face today,” Ajaero said, highlighting how workers are now rationing work attendance to manage commuting expenses.
The NLC president’s remarks reflect the broader economic despair engulfing Nigerian households. Despite the proposed minimum wage being more than double the current N30,000, it falls significantly short of countering the inflation rate, which hovers around 24%. Analysts estimate that the purchasing power of N70,000 today is equivalent to just N53,000 in real terms—an erosion of about 25%.
From transportation to groceries and rent, Nigerians are paying more for essentials than ever before. The prices of staple food items such as rice, eggs, tomatoes, and yam have surged by over 500% to 1,000% since 2018. Rent in urban areas like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt has quadrupled, with a one-room apartment now costing upwards of N500,000 per year in some neighborhoods.
Ajaero’s concerns were echoed by Dr. Tommy Okon, former Deputy National President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), who said workers remain trapped in poverty despite the government’s economic reforms.
“Two years of reforms and what have we gained? Families are struggling with daily survival. There needs to be an urgent policy review,” he said.
Chris Onyeka, NLC’s Deputy General Secretary, noted that the population of “working poor” in Nigeria is expanding rapidly. “It’s no longer a question of employment; it’s about dignity. Workers are employed but starving,” Onyeka stressed.
In Lagos, the state NLC Chairperson, Funmi Sessi, described the current hardship as unprecedented. “This year has brought untold suffering to workers. Food prices are out of reach, transportation is unbearable, and there’s no visible intervention from the government.”
She urged the government to address the issue beyond tokenistic wage reviews, calling for robust action to stabilize the economy and reduce daily burdens on Nigerian families.
Labour leaders are calling for a holistic national response that includes subsidy on transport, price control mechanisms, and housing support. They argue that without structural reforms, wage increases will remain cosmetic.
“Reviewing minimum wage without tackling inflation, insecurity, and infrastructure gaps is like filling a leaking basket,” Ajaero concluded.
As Nigerians marked Workers’ Day this year, there was little to celebrate. Labour unions say time is running out for the government to avert a looming social and economic breakdown. For many workers, the difference between employment and poverty is now paper-thin.