Strike: National Minimum Wage Act 2019 Has Expired, Says Falana

The National Minimum salary Act of 2019, which established the national minimum salary of N30,000, has legally expired, according to Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana.

The eminent jurist believes that the National Assembly need to enact a new National Minimum Wage Act.

Mr. Falana cited clause 3(4) of the Act in a recent remark, which states that the salary expires after five years and has to be revisited. He went on to explain that the minimum wage ended on April 18, 2024, even though the Act went into effect on April 18, 2019.

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During the last May Day rally in Abuja, Honourable Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, announced that a new national minimum wage would take effect on May 1, 2024. This announcement follows the Federal Government’s removal of the fuel subsidy last year, which led to an additional N35,000 wage subsidy for six months starting September 1, 2023, bringing the total monthly wage to N65,000 during this period. Additionally, various state governments, including Lagos and Edo, set their minimum wage at N70,000.

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However, the Federal Government has proposed a new minimum wage of N48,000. This proposal has been met with resistance from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), who have embarked on an indefinite strike over the failure to implement a realistic new minimum wage. Reports indicate that leaders of the National Assembly have stepped in to mediate the situation.

Falana in his brief statement, urged the National Assembly to swiftly pass a new National Minimum Wage Act, similar to the expedited enactment of the new National Anthem Act, which was completed within 48 hours last week.