NLC: Tinubu Offered Us N250k Minimum Wage To Accept N1,500 Petrol Price, But We Rejected It-Ajaero

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has disclosed that organised labour rejected a proposal for a ₦250,000 minimum wage during negotiations with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because of concerns about the broader economic consequences of a sharp increase in petrol prices.

Ajaero made the disclosure during an interview on the Mic On Podcast, where he discussed the negotiations between labour leaders and the Federal Government over workers’ welfare, minimum wage and the impact of fuel pricing on the Nigerian economy.

According to the NLC president, the proposal was discussed during a meeting between representatives of organised labour and President Tinubu. He recalled that the President expressed concern that the position of labour was making it difficult for the government to proceed with a proposed increase in the price of petrol.

Ajaero said Tinubu presented the possibility of workers receiving as much as ₦250,000 if labour agreed to the fuel price adjustment, which he said was being considered at approximately ₦1,500 per litre.

The NLC president recalled that the President also referenced developments in neighbouring countries while explaining the government’s position on the matter.

However, Ajaero said labour leaders did not consider the proposed wage increase in isolation. According to him, they examined what a substantial rise in the cost of petrol could mean for the wider population and concluded that the consequences could extend far beyond organised workers.

He explained that an increase in petrol prices would likely affect transportation costs and the cost of operating businesses, with the resulting increases potentially being passed on to consumers through higher prices for goods and services.

For that reason, Ajaero said labour leaders preferred to accept a lower wage figure rather than support an arrangement that could provide workers with more money while simultaneously making life more expensive for millions of other Nigerians.

The NLC president maintained that organised labour has responsibilities that go beyond negotiating improved conditions for its members. He said the labour movement also has to consider the wider economic and social consequences of the agreements it reaches with government.

Ajaero further argued that accepting the ₦250,000 proposal in exchange for backing a higher petrol price could have created the impression that labour leaders were prioritising their immediate interests over those of the broader Nigerian population.

He said such a decision would have been difficult to justify at a time when rising transportation and living costs were already placing significant pressure on households and businesses.

The dispute over workers’ pay and fuel prices formed part of the broader negotiations that eventually resulted in an increase in Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage. The minimum wage was raised from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000 after the new wage legislation was signed into law in July 2024.

The law also provides for a review of the statutory minimum wage after three years, meaning another review is expected in 2027.

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