The Federal Government has called for a balance between workers’ demands for improved wages and the government’s financial capacity, amid rising labour tensions over petrol prices and fresh negotiations on the national minimum wage.
The call comes as the two-week ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to the Federal Government approaches its deadline.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, made the appeal on Monday at the board retreat of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission in Abuja.
Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Dr Abubakar Kana, said wage decisions must reflect prevailing economic realities while protecting workers’ welfare.
He said the commission must balance workers’ legitimate expectations with the government’s financial constraints and the broader demands of national economic development.
The SGF also urged the commission to strengthen its research capacity, embrace digital technology and establish measurable performance targets.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, insisted that the union’s earlier ultimatum remained in force, although he declined to negotiate the matter during the retreat.
Ajaero maintained that the government needed to introduce measures to ease workers’ hardship before industrial action became necessary.
Earlier, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Junaidu Bindawa, said rising inflation, changing labour expectations and pressure on public finances required a more sustainable approach to wage administration.
He noted that salary policies had far-reaching implications for government expenditure, productivity, industrial relations and public service performance.
Bindawa called for stronger research, reliable data, improved compensation management and closer collaboration between the commission’s board and management.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the commission, Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas, called for a shift from reactive salary reviews to a permanent, evidence-based wage governance system.
Okoya-Thomas noted that the 2024 national minimum wage more than doubled the previous statutory minimum, underscoring the need to reconcile workers’ welfare with economic sustainability.
She said the retreat would examine fair pay, reliable data, social dialogue, institutional capacity and accountability, with an action plan aligned with Nigeria Agenda 2050 and the Medium-Term National Development Plan for 2027–2030.
In his goodwill message, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abel Enitan, said civil service reforms were essential to achieving the Federal Government’s target of building a $1tn economy by 2030.
