The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has backed the demand by Nigerian civil servants for a new minimum wage of N500,000 per month and a reduction in the price of petrol to N500 per litre amid worsening economic hardship.
The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side, made the demands in a letter to President Bola Tinubu, calling for the immediate establishment of a committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage ahead of January 2027.
The workers gave the Federal Government until September 30, 2026, to take action on their demands, warning that the rising cost of living was creating growing tension among workers and Nigerians.
The council said petrol prices, which have risen to about N1,430 per litre or higher in some areas, had worsened the cost-of-living crisis and contributed to increases in the prices of essential goods, transportation and other services.
The workers also demanded an immediate wage award for federal, state and local government employees, as well as an upward review of salaries and allowances.
Under their proposed 2027 salary structure, the JNPSNC said the minimum salary for an officer on Grade Level 01, Step 1 should be N500,000 per month.
The council further called for harmonised wages across ministries, departments and agencies, and urged the government to direct the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to begin negotiations with the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other relevant stakeholders.
NLC Supports Workers’ Demands
The NLC described the demands as realistic and legitimate, urging the government to address them urgently.
NLC Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, said workers’ wages had remained largely static while inflation continued to reduce their purchasing power.
He said many workers were struggling to afford transportation to work and provide basic necessities for their families.
According to him, increases in petrol prices affect virtually every sector of the economy, including food, transportation and education.
The JNPSNC also proposed the creation of a fuel intervention fund to help stabilise petrol prices and eventually reduce the pump price to N500 per litre.
The workers argued that such an intervention would have a wider economic impact than food palliatives, which they described as unsustainable.
The council also called for increased crude oil supply to local refineries in naira, expansion of national petroleum storage capacity and measures to strengthen domestic refining and energy security.
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