The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Lagos State Chapter, has urged the state government to raise the minimum wage for workers to ₦150,000, citing the ever-increasing cost of living in Nigeria’s commercial hub.
Naija News reports that this demand follows recent wage adjustments by the governments of Imo and Ebonyi States.
Speaking on the matter, Lagos NLC Chairperson, Funmi Sesi, emphasized that the current ₦85,000 minimum wage in Lagos is no longer sufficient to meet basic needs such as housing, transportation, food, and utilities.
“The time has come for an upward review of minimum wage in Lagos. At least someone has taken the bull by the horns and opened the space.
No one can blame Governor Sanwo-Olu now if he implements a higher wage for Lagos workers, because we deserve a better wage and decent working conditions commensurate with the economic realities, especially in Lagos,” Sesi stated.
Imo and Ebonyi Set the Pace
In a bold move, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State announced a wage increase for civil servants from ₦76,000 to ₦104,000. Similarly, the Ebonyi State Government raised its minimum wage from ₦70,000 to ₦90,000, according to the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Ikeuwa Omebe.
Sesi expressed hope that Lagos would not lag behind, stressing that the state’s unique cost of living pressures justify a much higher wage benchmark.
The demand has sparked conversations across Nigeria, with many workers awaiting the Lagos government’s response.
