Nigeria Labour Congress Rejects Food Palliatives, Demands ₦500 Petrol and ₦500,000 Minimum Wage

Nigeria Labour Congress Rejects Food Palliatives, Demands ₦500 Petrol and ₦500,000 Minimum Wage

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has thrown its weight behind fresh demands by public servants for urgent measures to cushion the impact of rising living costs, including a reduction of petrol prices to ₦500 per litre and a proposed ₦500,000 monthly minimum salary for the lowest-paid federal public servants.

The demands were contained in a letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the Trade Union Side of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC). The council is seeking immediate government intervention as workers grapple with rising transportation, food, education and other household expenses.

Workers demand immediate wage award

Among the major requests is an immediate wage award for Federal, State and Local Government workers, alongside an upward review of salaries and allowances across the public service.

The workers also called for the immediate constitution of a committee to commence negotiations on a new National Minimum Wage ahead of January 2027.

Under the proposed 2027 salary structure, the JNPSNC wants an officer on Grade Level 01, Step 1 to receive ₦500,000 monthly. It further called for harmonisation of wages across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), with corresponding reviews at the state and local government levels.

Petrol price at ₦1,430 and above

The council expressed concern over the continuing increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.

According to the workers, petrol prices had reached about ₦1,430 per litre or higher in some locations, further worsening the cost-of-living crisis.

They argued that the impact of high petrol prices goes beyond motorists, as increases in transportation costs have consequences for the prices of food, school-related expenses and other essential commodities.

The workers therefore proposed the establishment of a fuel intervention fund to bring the price of petrol down to ₦500 per litre, arguing that cheaper fuel would have wider economic effects by reducing transportation and other operating costs.

Labour rejects food palliatives

The JNPSNC also rejected the continued reliance on food items as a long-term response to economic hardship.

The council argued that the distribution of items such as bags of rice, noodles, vegetable oil and garri only provides temporary relief and does not address the underlying economic difficulties facing workers and households.

The workers described food palliatives as an unsustainable intervention that, in their view, does not adequately reach the majority of Nigerians. Instead, they advocated measures capable of improving workers' purchasing power and reducing the cost of basic necessities.

The council specifically linked a reduction in petrol prices to broader economic relief, arguing that lower transportation costs could help moderate the prices of goods and services.

NLC backs the demands

Backing the position of the public servants, NLC Acting General Secretary Benson Upah described the demands for a wage award and reduction in petrol prices as realistic and overdue.

Upah said workers' earnings had been eroded by rising living costs and argued that the effects of high fuel prices were being felt across the economy.

According to reports quoting the NLC official, the consequences include increased transportation costs as well as higher prices for essential commodities and school expenses. He maintained that the hardship affects not only workers but also other Nigerians, particularly low-income households.

The JNPSNC has given the Federal Government until Wednesday, September 30, 2026, to respond to its demands.

The council's position places renewed attention on the ongoing debate over wages, fuel pricing and measures to address the rising cost of living in Nigeria.

While the proposed ₦500,000 minimum salary and ₦500 petrol price are demands from the labour side rather than existing government policy, the proposals are now part of the wider negotiations over workers' welfare and the next phase of national wage discussions. Reports indicate that the Federal Government had not announced a ₦500,000 minimum-wage figure at the time of the workers' demand.

The coming days will therefore be significant for the response of the Federal Government and other stakeholders as the September 30 deadline approaches.