Workers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Cross River, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Kaduna, and Zamfara states are set to embark on a strike from Monday, December 2, following the failure of state authorities to implement the N70,000 new minimum wage.
This strike is a response to the ongoing inability of various state governments to negotiate and finalize the payment of the national minimum wage.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had earlier directed workers in 14 states, including the FCT, to begin an industrial action, demanding the payment of the new wage.
In response, the FCT NLC council had announced an indefinite strike starting December 1, 2024, which could extend until further instructions are given. The Chairman of the FCT NLC, Stephen Knabayi, criticised the area council chairmen for failing to address the demand for the implementation of the new minimum wage.
Similarly, Nasarawa State workers have been instructed to strike starting Monday, though a tentative agreement to pay N70,500 had been reached. However, the lack of signed documentation has led to uncertainty, with the strike set to go ahead unless formal agreements are signed by midnight.
In Kaduna State, the government has already started paying the new minimum wage, offering workers a gross salary of N72,000 as of November.
Despite this, the state NLC has confirmed its intention to proceed with the strike, claiming that the government has yet to address other issues, such as the demand for consequential adjustments to salaries.
Kaduna State’s government, on the other hand, maintains that it is in full compliance with the minimum wage law, highlighting the strain on state finances due to the increase in the wage bill.
In Ebonyi, the state government announced the N70,000 minimum wage in September 2024, but there has been no subsequent action to implement it. This has led the NLC to order a warning strike from December 1, lasting one week.
Similarly, workers in Zamfara and Cross River states have reported delays or failures in the implementation of the wage, with both states set to join the strike.
In Cross River, negotiations late Sunday night reportedly led to an agreement to pay the new wage, though the status of the strike remains unclear pending confirmation from NLC and TUC officials.
The ongoing industrial action reflects broader discontent among Nigerian workers over the slow pace of wage implementation, particularly amidst rising inflation and economic hardship.
