The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have expressed opposition to the federal government's proposal to set the minimum wage at N54,000 for workers.

On Tuesday, reports emerged that the federal government had raised its proposed minimum wage to N54,000, following the rejection of an initial offer of N48,000 by organized labour during a negotiation meeting.

Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, walked out of the negotiation meeting, stating that the government was not genuinely engaging with the labour representatives. “The government’s proposal of a paltry N48,000 as the minimum wage not only insults the sensibilities of Nigerian workers but also falls significantly short of meeting our needs and aspirations,” Ajaero said.

Reacting to the revised proposal of N54,000, NLC spokesperson Ben Ukpa declared it "unacceptable." He added, "The unions, including the NLC and TUC, reject the proposed N54,000. We will continue discussions."

The NLC and TUC had initially proposed a minimum wage of N615,500, citing the high cost of living as justification.

On Monday, following a joint national executive council (NEC) meeting, the labour unions set a deadline of May 31 for the federal government to finalize the new national minimum wage.

"We need an agreement that genuinely reflects the true value of Nigerian workers’ contributions to the nation’s development and addresses the current survival crisis caused by government policies," the labour movement stated.

"The NEC affirms its commitment to ensuring that the interests and welfare of workers are adequately protected in the negotiation process."