The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 wage award, calling instead for an immediate increase in workers’ salaries and the implementation of outstanding agreements with health workers.
The congress said temporary allowances were insufficient to address the rising cost of living and demanded a more permanent pay adjustment for Nigerian workers.
The position was outlined in a statement issued on Wednesday by TUC President Festus Osifo and Secretary-General N.A. Toro, following a National Administrative Council meeting held in Abuja on October 8, 2026.
According to the statement, the congress had formally written to the Federal Government through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, seeking an urgent salary review in response to rising living costs.
TUC Proposes N300,000 Salary for Lowest-Paid Worker
The TUC argued that the government could increase salaries without waiting for negotiations over the national minimum wage to conclude.
It maintained that Nigerian law does not impose a maximum wage limit on employers, meaning the government could raise workers’ pay independently of the minimum wage negotiation process.
“The Federal Government should review increasing workers’ salaries,” the statement said, adding that the absence of a maximum wage law meant higher pay could be introduced without waiting for a new minimum wage agreement.
The congress proposed increasing the salary of the lowest-paid worker to N300,000 from the current N70,000, alongside corresponding adjustments to other salary levels.
It said negotiations over the national minimum wage remained important but should not delay salary increases for workers struggling with the cost of food, transport, healthcare and other essential needs.
Congress Questions Implementation of Previous Wage Award
The TUC said its opposition to the proposed wage award was partly based on the incomplete implementation of an earlier agreement reached between the Federal Government and organised labour in October 2023.
That arrangement was intended to provide temporary financial relief until a new national minimum wage was agreed in 2024.
However, the congress alleged that the award had not been implemented fully or consistently across the workforce.
“The wage award agreed between FGN and organised labour on the 2nd of October 2023 was to be implemented until a minimum wage was agreed in 2024 but was never implemented holistically,” the statement said.
The TUC claimed that some workers were still owed one or two months of payments, while others had received nothing.
It also alleged that workers who benefited from the award did not always receive their payments monthly, with some experiencing gaps of one or two months and having to make repeated demands for their entitlements.
The congress further claimed that more than 80 per cent of states and workers in the informal sector had not benefited from any form of wage award.
It questioned why workers should trust another temporary arrangement when previous commitments remained outstanding.
TUC Seeks Measures to Reduce Cost of Living
Beyond salary adjustments, the congress urged federal, state and local governments to introduce measurable interventions to reduce the cost of essential goods and services.
It called for the timely payment of salaries and pensions, protection of existing jobs, action against exploitative labour practices and measures to revitalise the productive sector to generate decent employment.
The TUC said economic hardship affected not only federal government employees but also state and local government workers, pensioners, private-sector employees and people working in the informal economy.
It called for properly funded programmes with clear implementation deadlines, saying government announcements needed to produce tangible improvements in people’s living conditions.
The congress maintained that permanent salary increases would offer more reliable support than temporary allowances that had not reached workers uniformly.
Government Accused of Failing to Honour JOHESU Agreement
The TUC also accused the Federal Government of failing to implement an agreement with the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) concerning adjustments to the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
According to the congress, TUC President Osifo led a delegation of organised labour, including JOHESU representatives and a representative of another labour congress, during negotiations aimed at resolving an industrial dispute in the health sector.
The discussions resulted in a conciliation meeting at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, where both sides agreed to a communiqué.
The government delegation was led by Labour and Employment Minister Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi. It also included Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Professor Muhammad Ali Pate and then Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun.
The TUC said JOHESU suspended its industrial action in good faith after the agreement was signed, but alleged that the government had failed to meet its commitments.
Seven-Month Delay in CONHESS Adjustment
The congress said the agreement provided for the resolution of outstanding issues involving the CONHESS adjustment, but alleged that implementation had still not taken place seven months after the settlement.
“While the workers have kept their side of the bargain, the government hasn’t kept its side of the agreement,” the statement said.
The TUC described the delay as a breach of good faith and warned that failure to honour agreements could weaken confidence in collective bargaining between organised labour and the government.
It demanded immediate implementation of the salary adjustment, publication of a clear timetable, provision of the required budgetary allocations and resolution of outstanding issues in consultation with the relevant unions.
The congress said health workers should not be expected to continue providing essential services while commitments made to them remained unfulfilled.
“The TUC demands tangible action, not further assurances,” the statement said, adding that the congress would support affected unions and pursue lawful measures to secure compliance.
TUC Awaits Government Meeting Before Deciding Next Steps
The congress reiterated that workers were seeking improved living conditions and respect for their rights rather than special treatment.
“Workers’ welfare is not a privilege. Agreements must be honoured. Workers’ rights must be respected. Government must comply,” the statement added.
The TUC said it was awaiting the outcome of its scheduled meeting with the Federal Government before deciding on its next course of action. It did not announce an immediate nationwide strike in the statement.
N70,000 Minimum Wage Followed 2024 Agreement
The dispute comes amid continuing pressure on organised labour over workers’ purchasing power following increases in the cost of living.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed the national minimum wage law, raising the statutory monthly minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 after negotiations between the Federal Government and organised labour.
The agreement followed months of disagreement over pay amid rising food and transport costs associated with the removal of the petrol subsidy and other economic reforms.
The new minimum wage established a higher statutory pay floor for eligible workers but did not automatically settle demands for adjustments across different salary grades.
The 2023 wage award had been introduced as interim relief while negotiations over the minimum wage continued. The TUC’s latest position calls for permanent salary increases and full implementation of outstanding labour agreements, including the CONHESS adjustment in the health sector.
