17th December, 2025

In addition to solidarity with the health sector strikes and funding of education, we need the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to demand a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) now! No one can afford to live on N70,000 a month. We all need a living wage.

Back in September, the NLC admitted that, “in the face of galloping inflation and rising costs of food, transportation, housing, and other essential services, the N70,000 minimum wage can no longer sustain workers”.

The price of a kilo of local rice doubled in price to over N1,000 over the year to January 2024 according to the National Bureau of Statistics. By the end of last year it had doubled in price again and it is still nearly N2,000 a kilo (October 2025, NBS).

The minimum wage is now much higher in neighbouring countries:

Benin – $90 = N135,000

Niger – $75 = N110,000

Chad – $105 = N155,000

Cameroon – $80 = N115,000.

The share of the per capita GDP or the national wealth paid in wages has collapsed in recent years.  In 1998 the minimum wage as worth almost 75% of the per capita GDP. By 2015 when the N30,000 minimum wage was introduced it had fallen to less than 20%. Now it is only perhaps 6%.  So to regain its relative value from 1998 the minimum wage would have to be at least ten times bigger. To regain its value of 2015 it would have to be increased to N210,000.

In 2011, the minimum wage was worth more than $120. By 2014, when the N30,000 was introduced it had fallen in value to about $85.  Now the minimum wage of N70,000 is worth less than $50.

The minimum wage is due to be increased again in mid-2027 (before the next elections). We cannot afford to wait another two years.  We need a substantial Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) a month now!  This needs to be added to the NLC demands for its protests on Wednesday.

In solidarity!

Comrade Abiodun Olamosu, General Secretary,
Socialist Labour