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Labour to Crack Down on Minimum Wage Defaulters by March — SSANU President

Published

2 months ago

Jan 30, 2025.

SSANU slams govt for slow wage implementation.
NLC warns defaulters of ₦70,000 minimum wage by March.
Ibrahim vows action on bribery claims against lawmakers.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern warning to state governments and employers of labor to fully implement the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000 by the end of the first quarter of 2025.

Failure to comply with the wage law and the associated salary adjustments will result in severe consequences, according to Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

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Speaking at the SSANU National Leadership Retreat in Abuja on Wednesday, Ibrahim, who also serves as the NLC’s National Internal Auditor, called out the government and employers for what he described as insincerity in the wage implementation process.

He explained that while the minimum wage had been signed into law, many universities and state governments had yet to comply, treating the wage as an “award” rather than a binding regulation.

“The problem with the government and employers of labor is insincerity,” Ibrahim said. “The national minimum wage has been signed into law, and payments should have commenced nationwide. However, in many universities and states, the wage is treated as just an award without full implementation.”

Ibrahim emphasized that the NLC is actively working on the matter and vowed that any state or employer that fails to implement the new wage and consequential adjustments by the end of March 2025 would face legal action.

“By the end of this first quarter, any state or employer of labor that refuses to implement the national minimum wage and consequential adjustments will face the consequences,” he warned.

The SSANU President also addressed recent allegations that some members of the National Assembly had demanded ₦8 million from university Vice Chancellors during budget defense sessions.

If the claims are proven true, Ibrahim pledged that the labor movement would take action against the lawmakers involved. “No public university in Nigeria has enough resources even to pay its electricity bills. Where will they get ₦8 million to give lawmakers?” he questioned.

He also criticized internal sabotage by some union members, noting that such actions undermined collective struggles and weakened the effectiveness of strikes.

Despite government indifference and worker fatigue, Ibrahim reaffirmed that SSANU was exploring alternative negotiation strategies to address workers’ concerns.