The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) announced on Thursday its plans to meet with the federal government to discuss the impact of the recent petrol price hike on workers, particularly in light of the yet-to-be-implemented N70,000 national minimum wage.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, revealed this during a two-day workshop on “Minimum Wage Implementation” in Lagos. He expressed frustration over the petrol price increase, stating that it has nullified the gains of the proposed wage adjustment. Ajaero accused the government, specifically President Bola Tinubu, of deceiving organized labour into accepting the N70,000 minimum wage to avoid further petrol price increases.

Ajaero lamented that despite the wage increase promise, Nigerians continue to face severe hardship. He emphasized that hunger, poverty, and frustration were becoming unbearable for citizens and urged the government to address these issues before they spiral out of control.

Reflecting on negotiations with President Tinubu, Ajaero shared that the NLC felt betrayed after being led to believe that the wage increase would prevent further fuel price hikes. He explained how the labour movement was given an ultimatum by the president to decide between a N250,000 minimum wage or an increased petrol price, a proposition that labour ultimately rejected to avoid worsening the economic situation for all Nigerians.

The NLC president also disclosed that President Tinubu had offered to fund trips for labour leaders to visit other West African countries where petrol prices are significantly higher, but the proposal was declined. The labour movement instead urged the government to focus on the minimum wage and refrain from further increasing petrol prices, which would exacerbate economic hardships.

Ajaero concluded by highlighting the difficulties faced in the negotiations, particularly with private sector employers, who resisted the N70,000 minimum wage proposal. Despite these challenges, he affirmed that the labour movement remains committed to ensuring that workers receive fair compensation and relief from the ongoing economic pressures.