24/09/2026
Fuel Price Surge: NLC Accuses FG of Benefiting as Workers Battle Rising Costs; Keyamo Says ₦70,000 Minimum Wage Is No Longer Enough
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for urgent government intervention to cushion Nigerian workers and other vulnerable citizens from the impact of rising fuel prices, transportation costs, food prices and declining purchasing power.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the call at the 2026 National Pre-Retirement Summit in Abuja, arguing that Nigeria’s increased oil revenues arising from higher international crude prices should be used to provide relief for citizens facing the effects of the fuel-price surge.
Ajaero said the increase in global oil prices has created additional revenue for oil-producing countries, including Nigeria, and questioned why part of the additional earnings could not be deployed for intervention measures to protect workers and vulnerable Nigerians.
He also warned that minimum-wage negotiations cannot be based solely on nominal figures, stressing that inflation, fuel prices, food costs and other economic factors must be considered when determining workers’ actual purchasing power.
The NLC president further called for the indexation of salaries and pensions to inflation or the cost of living, arguing that wages should respond automatically to significant changes in economic conditions.
Minimum Wage Review
Ajaero disclosed that the current minimum-wage agreement is expected to expire around March or April, and urged stakeholders to commence negotiations early.
He explained that the reduction of the wage-review cycle from five years to three years was intended to enable workers’ earnings to respond more quickly to changing economic realities.
Meanwhile, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also acknowledged the pressure facing Nigerian workers, saying the current ₦70,000 national minimum wage is no longer sufficient amid rising costs.
Keyamo recalled the negotiations that preceded the increase in the minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000 and said the government should meet labour halfway in the ongoing wage discussions.
He noted that organised labour is currently demanding as much as ₦500,000 as a new minimum wage.
The minister also criticised situations where government workers allegedly struggle to receive basic allowances while senior officials spend substantial amounts on international trips, stressing the importance of prioritising workers’ welfare.
The latest development adds fresh pressure to the ongoing debate over minimum wage, fuel prices, workers’ purchasing power and the broader cost-of-living crisis, as labour leaders call for immediate relief alongside early preparations for the next minimum-wage negotiations.
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