President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to meet with the Organized Labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Thursday.

This was announced by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday.

Addressing State House Correspondents, Minister Idris explained that last week’s meeting with the NLC and TUC leaders was part of ongoing consultations towards establishing a new minimum wage. He also revealed that President Tinubu would submit a bill on the new minimum wage and an amended budget to the National Assembly after the upcoming meeting, although no specific timeline for these submissions was provided.

President Tinubu had previously met with labour leaders over the minimum wage issue. The Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage had presented two proposed figures to the President, with the government team and organized private sector suggesting N62,000, while organized labour insisted on N250,000. The President promised to meet with relevant stakeholders to harmonize the figures before transmitting the executive bill to the National Assembly.

Minister Idris stated, “Last week, the Nigerian Labour Congress met the president as part of the consultation that the President has agreed to. He had also met the organized sector and subnationals after the tripartite committee on Labour had submitted its report. In order to ensure a thorough analysis of the situation, the federal government, subnationals, and the organized private sector met to come up with a minimum wage that works for all Nigerians.”

Additionally, the government has directed the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to provide additional support for the 2024 budget to address any gaps, ensuring the new minimum wage can be accommodated.

“The government is working around the clock to ensure a minimum wage that works for all Nigerians. At the end of the day, this will be submitted to the National Assembly for legislative backing,” Idris added.

The meeting with labour unions, scheduled for Thursday, aims to find a lasting solution to the minimum wage issue. Minister Idris emphasized that the President is committed to addressing the concerns of the NLC, TUC, and their affiliates promptly. Following the meeting, President Tinubu will transmit his final decision on the tripartite committee report to the National Assembly for legislation.