Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Lagos State Chapter, has called for a minimum wage increase to N150,000 for Lagos workers, citing the recent wage hikes by the Imo and Ebonyi state governments as a precedent.
Chairperson of the NLC Lagos State Chapter, Mrs. Funmi Sesi, made this demand on Thursday in response to the developments in Imo and Ebonyi, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Sesi emphasized the need for an upward review from the current N85,000 minimum wage, stating, “Accommodation, transport, feeding, and utilities are significantly more expensive in Lagos than in other states.”
She hailed the wage increases in Imo, where Governor Hope Uzodimma raised the minimum wage from N76,000 to N104,000, and in Ebonyi, where the state government increased it from N70,000 to N90,000, as positive steps for Nigeria’s labor forced.
“The actions of Imo and Ebonyi are commendable, and we urge other state governments to follow suit,” Sesi noted, adding, “No one can blame Governor Sanwo-Olu if he implements a higher wage for Lagos workers, as we deserve better pay and decent work conditions that reflect the economic realities in Lagos.”
She expressed eagerness for discussions with the Lagos State government to secure an enhanced welfare package for workers.
According to NAN, Governor Uzodimma announced Imo’s new N104,000 minimum wage during a meeting with labor leaders on Tuesday in Owerri, while Ebonyi’s increase to N90,000 was disclosed by Chief Ikeuwa Omebe, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, following an Executive Council meeting on Thursday.
