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The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed wage award for workers, demanding an immediate increase in salaries and a minimum monthly pay of ₦300,000 for the lowest-paid worker.
The Congress also called for the full implementation of the agreement reached with the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), particularly the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
The demands were contained in a letter dated October 8, 2026, and sent to the Federal Government through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the TUC said the government could increase workers’ salaries without waiting for the conclusion of negotiations on a new national minimum wage.
The statement was jointly signed by the Congress’s President-General, Festus Osifo, and Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro.
According to the labour body, there is no legal provision setting a maximum wage in Nigeria, meaning the government can raise workers’ pay and make corresponding adjustments for other salary levels.
It proposed increasing the minimum monthly salary from the current ₦70,000 to ₦300,000, noting that some states already pay minimum wages above ₦100,000.
The Congress said it had rejected the wage award proposal during consultations with government officials, including the SGF, arguing that temporary payments would not provide sustainable relief for workers facing rising living costs.
It also cited the incomplete implementation of the ₦35,000 wage award agreed upon on October 2, 2023.
According to the TUC, some workers are still owed one or two months of the payment, while others did not receive it at all. It added that more than 80 per cent of states and workers in the informal sector did not benefit from any form of wage award.
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The Congress warned that negotiations over a new minimum wage should not be used to delay an immediate salary increase.
Beyond federal workers, the TUC said the cost-of-living crisis was affecting state and local government employees, pensioners and informal sector workers.
It urged governments at all levels to introduce measurable measures to reduce the cost of food, transportation and healthcare, ensure timely payment of salaries and pensions, and strengthen the productive sector.
On the health sector, the Congress demanded the immediate implementation of the agreement reached with JOHESU after negotiations that led to the suspension of the union’s industrial action.
The TUC said its president led the organised labour team during meetings held at the offices of the ministers of health and labour.
According to the Congress, the agreement provided for the resolution of all outstanding issues relating to the CONHESS adjustment without further delay. However, it said the commitment remained unfulfilled seven months after the agreement was reached.
The union called on the Federal Government to implement the adjustment immediately, publish a clear timetable for compliance and make the necessary budgetary provisions.
It warned that it would stand by its affiliates and pursue all lawful measures to ensure the government honours the agreement.
The TUC’s demands come amid continued concerns over the rising cost of living and pressure on governments to improve workers’ purchasing power and address outstanding labour agreements.
