TUC REJECTS FG’S N70,000 WAGE AWARD, DEMANDS IMMEDIATE SALARY INCREASE TO N300,000

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has formally rejected the Federal Government’s proposed ₦70,000 wage award, demanding an immediate baseline salary increase for workers and the full implementation of outstanding agreements with health sector unions.
​In a communique issued following its National Administrative Council meeting in Abuja, signed by TUC President Festus Osifo and Secretary-General N.A. Toro, the union stated that temporary wage relief measures have proven ineffective in offsetting soaring living costs.
​Demand for Baseline Salary Upgrade
​The labor body urged the Federal Government to raise the entry-level salary of the lowest-paid worker to ₦300,000—up from the current ₦70,000 baseline—with corresponding consequential adjustments across higher salary grade levels.
​The TUC maintained that the government possesses the legal authority to adjust public sector wages without waiting for triennial national minimum wage negotiations.
​“The government does not require the minimum wage to be negotiated before increasing workers’ pay, as there is no maximum wage law in the country,” the statement noted, adding that minimum wage dialogues should not serve as an excuse to delay urgent wage reviews.
​Trust Deficit Over Outstanding 2023 Wage Awards
​Citing past breaches, the TUC disclosed that the wage award agreement signed on October 2, 2023, was never fully honored. The union revealed that several civil servants are still owed up to two months of back pay, while over 80 percent of state-level employees and informal sector workers were completely excluded.
​“How do we go back to the same wage award that never benefited all workers? How can workers be expected to trust fresh promises when previous obligations remain outstanding?” the union questioned.
​Call to Honor Seven-Month-Old JOHESU Agreement
​The TUC further criticized the government for failing to implement a seven-month-old agreement reached with the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) regarding the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
​Despite a conciliation agreement co-signed by Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, Coordinating Minister of Health Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and Minister of Finance Wale Edun, the requested salary adjustments remain stalled.
​The TUC called for the immediate release of a concrete implementation timetable and budgetary allocations for CONHESS, warning that health workers cannot be expected to maintain services while binding agreements are disregarded.