Nigeria Governors Propose N100,000 Minimum Wage Amid Labor Rejection

During a series of meetings in Lagos on May 30 and 31, 2026, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Governor of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), urged President Bola Tinubu to increase the national minimum wage from N70,000 to N100,000. AbdulRazaq argued that fiscal reforms and the removal of fuel subsidies have improved state revenues and reduced reliance on borrowing, making the increase sustainable. President Tinubu defended the subsidy removal as a necessary measure to prevent national bankruptcy and restore economic stability.

The proposal met immediate resistance from organized labor. Benson Upah, spokesperson for the Nigeria Labour Congress, rejected the N100,000 figure as unrealistic given the naira's depreciation and high fuel costs, suggesting instead that a realistic minimum wage should be N1 million. He cited a N5 trillion treasury windfall as evidence that the government has the capacity for higher pay.

On June 1, the Federal Workers Forum further condemned the proposal, labeling it a "Greek gift." The forum alleged that the current N70,000 wage is eroded by deductions and that the government owes workers promotion arrears. Beyond economic grievances, the group cited worsening national insecurity and issued a 30-day ultimatum to President Tinubu to address economic hardship and kidnapping. The forum urged the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress to declare an indefinite nationwide strike and supported protests starting June 1.