The Presidency has declared the ₦250,000 minimum wage demand by Organised Labour as unsustainable. Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, emphasized that meeting such a demand would consume too many resources, which cannot be justified for a group representing less than 10% of the population.
During an interview, Onanuga criticized the Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress for prioritizing their members over the broader Nigerian population. He asserted that the Federal Government has numerous obligations beyond worker salaries and that the current demand is unrealistic.
The Federal Government remains firm in its stance and has indicated it might not engage with Labour leaders further unless new significant developments arise. Onanuga also mentioned that while President Tinubu intends to submit an executive bill on a new national minimum wage, the timeline for this remains uncertain, likely after the Sallah break.