Labour demands a ₦300,000 minimum wage for federal workers, saying the current ₦70,000 rate no longer guarantees a decent standard of living
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has called on the Federal Government to raise the monthly salary of its lowest-paid worker to ₦300,000, arguing that the current ₦70,000 national minimum wage is no longer sufficient to guarantee a decent standard of living.
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The National President of the association, Comrade Shehu Mohammed, made the demand on Thursday, November 12, 2026, during the organisation’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi.
Mohammed said rising economic hardship had significantly weakened workers’ purchasing power, making an urgent salary review necessary.
He argued that the government should move beyond temporary palliatives and wage awards towards a sustainable salary increase that reflects prevailing economic realities.
According to the labour leader, temporary interventions have failed to provide lasting relief for workers struggling with the rising cost of living.
He also criticised the incomplete implementation of previous relief measures, particularly the 2023 wage awards, saying the situation had weakened workers’ confidence in government interventions.
The ASCSN president urged the Federal Government not to wait until the next statutory minimum wage negotiation cycle before reviewing workers’ salaries.
He further called for the payment of outstanding promotion arrears, peculiar allowances and retirement benefits under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
“Rather than waiting until the next statutory minimum wage negotiation cycle, we demand that the Federal Government should act immediately by raising the salary of its lowest-paid worker to ₦300,000, with appropriate consequential adjustments across higher salary grade levels,” he said.
Responding to the demand, Dingyadi called for stronger cooperation between the Federal Government and organised labour, stressing the need for dialogue in resolving issues affecting workers’ welfare.
The minister maintained that disagreements between government and labour unions should be settled through constructive engagement rather than strikes and prolonged confrontations.
“Government listens, Labour speaks, and together we find solutions that work for workers and for the nation,” he said.
The demand adds to growing calls from organised labour for improved wages and better working conditions as Nigerian workers contend with rising living expenses.
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However, the ASCSN’s proposal would require government consideration and negotiations before any adjustment could be implemented.
