TUC President: Festus Osifo
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected another temporary wage award, urging the Federal Government to introduce a sustainable salary increase to improve workers’ purchasing power and living standards amid persistent economic pressures.
The Congress renewed its demand following an emergency meeting of its National Administrative Council (NAC) in Abuja, where it criticised the incomplete implementation of the 2023 wage award agreement between the government and organised labour.
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In a communiqué signed by TUC Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro, the union maintained that another temporary payment would not provide lasting relief, arguing that a permanent adjustment to workers’ salaries would offer a more dependable response to rising living costs.
The position also reinforces the union’s earlier proposal that the Federal Government should increase the salary of its lowest-paid federal worker from ₦70,000 to ₦300,000, with corresponding adjustments across other salary levels.
TUC Says Previous Wage Award Was Not Fully Implemented
The TUC said its opposition to another wage award reflects the Federal Government’s failure to fully honour the 10-month wage award agreement reached with organised labour on 2 October 2023.
The agreement provided temporary financial support for workers until the new national minimum wage became law on 29 July 2024.
However, Toro said workers received an average of only three months’ payment out of the 10 months agreed under the arrangement.
The Congress argued that the experience demonstrated the limitations of temporary wage interventions, particularly when implementation does not cover the full period or reach all eligible workers.
It therefore insisted that the government should prioritise a sustainable salary increase rather than introduce another temporary payment.
“The Congress is demanding a salary increase and not another wage award,” Toro said.
The union maintained that a permanent salary adjustment would provide workers with more predictable income and a stronger basis for managing their financial obligations.
Union Renews ₦300,000 Salary Demand
The TUC's latest position follows a letter it submitted to the Federal Government on 8 October 2026 through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
In the proposal, the Congress asked the government to raise the salary of its lowest-paid federal worker from the existing ₦70,000 national minimum wage to ₦300,000. It also called for consequential adjustments to the salaries of other workers to preserve appropriate differences across pay grades.
The union argued that the government did not need to wait for another national minimum wage negotiation before reviewing workers' salaries.
It pointed to states that had introduced minimum wages above ₦100,000 as evidence that employers could adopt higher pay levels based on their financial capacity and prevailing economic conditions.
The proposal represents a significant increase from the current national minimum wage and would require the government to consider its implications for public expenditure, payroll commitments and the broader wage structure.
The TUC has not presented another temporary wage award as an adequate substitute for this proposed adjustment.
TUC Insists Minimum Wage Should Not Limit Salary Negotiations
The Congress also stressed that Nigeria's national minimum wage represents a statutory floor for workers' earnings rather than a ceiling on what employers can pay.
This distinction remains central to its demand for higher salaries. While the minimum wage establishes the lowest legally permissible pay, employers and workers can negotiate salaries above that threshold through collective bargaining.
The TUC said the government should respect the rights of trade unions to represent their members in negotiations over salaries and other conditions of employment.
It also reaffirmed the importance of International Labour Organisation Conventions 87 and 98, which protect freedom of association and the right to organise and engage in collective bargaining.
The Congress maintained that workers' welfare cannot improve if unions lose their legitimate role in discussions affecting members' employment conditions.
It further acknowledged the positions of its public-sector affiliates, including the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRAI), the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) and the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC).
The union said their positions were consistent with its established position on salary increases and collective bargaining.
Rising Living Costs Continue to Pressure Workers
The TUC's demand comes amid continued concerns about the effect of living costs on household finances.
In October 2026, the Central Bank of Nigeria's inflation expectations survey showed that 77.2 per cent of Nigerian households perceived inflation as high in September, compared with 67.2 per cent in August. Households earning below ₦70,000 recorded the highest inflation perception, at 80 per cent.
The figures highlight the pressure that rising prices place on households, particularly those with limited incomes.
For workers, salary adjustments influence their ability to meet recurring expenses, including food, transportation, healthcare, education and housing costs. Where earnings fail to keep pace with the cost of essential goods and services, households have less income available for rent, savings and other financial commitments.
The wage debate therefore extends beyond public-sector remuneration to broader questions about household purchasing power and living standards.
The TUC has also called for timely payment of salaries and pensions, protection of existing jobs, action against exploitative labour practices and measures to reduce the cost of essential goods and services.
It said these challenges affect federal and state employees, local government workers, pensioners, private-sector employees and people working in the informal economy.
TUC Calls for Engagement with Federal Government
The Congress said it remained committed to constructive engagement with the Federal Government to implement resolutions reached at its 8 October 2026 National Administrative Council meeting in Abuja.
It urged its leaders to focus on securing improved salaries through discussions with relevant stakeholders rather than prolonged public exchanges over the dispute.
The union maintained that purposeful negotiations should produce measurable improvements in workers' welfare and protect the collective bargaining rights of its members.
The latest position signals that the TUC intends to continue pressing for a permanent salary adjustment rather than accept another temporary wage intervention.
The outcome will depend on the government's response, the capacity of employers to meet higher payroll obligations and the progress of negotiations between organised labour and the authorities.
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