ABUJA — The Federal Government has commenced extensive background consultations and sector-wide engagements in preparation for fresh national minimum wage negotiations aimed at addressing ongoing economic pressures facing Nigerian workers.
The disclosure was made by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr. Kamil Shoretire, during a capacity-building workshop organized for labour correspondents on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, in Abuja.
While clarifying that an official timetable and structured negotiations have not yet been formally launched, Shoretire confirmed that inter-ministerial and sectoral discussions are actively ongoing. He explained that preliminary dialogues are particularly focused on resolving wage and allowance disparities within critical social sectors—including health and education—to ensure agreed frameworks are integrated early into the upcoming 2027 federal budget cycle.
The government’s proactive engagement comes amid heightened demands from organized labor. The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side, recently urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately constitute a tri-partite negotiation committee. The council proposed a benchmark salary structure of ₦500,000 monthly for entry-level civil servants on Grade Level 01, Step 1, alongside interim wage awards to cushion the rising cost of living before full implementation in 2027.
Addressing wider industrial relations, Shoretire reassured public sector employees that existing interim wage awards remain active and unhindered by administrative directives. He further revealed that the Federal Government successfully met the September 1 international deadline to submit its comprehensive response to complaints filed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) before the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Shoretire reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to resolving workplace disputes through constructive collective bargaining while hinting that additional worker welfare incentives will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
