The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has said the Federal Government does not need to wait for the next statutory minimum-wage review before increasing the salaries of its workers, arguing that the lowest-paid federal employee could earn ₦200,000 or even ₦400,000 monthly if the government chooses to raise its payroll.
Key Highlights
- TUC says the Federal Government can increase workers’ salaries without waiting for a new minimum-wage law.
- TUC President Festus Osifo cited ₦200,000 and ₦400,000 as possible salaries for the lowest-paid federal worker.
- Osifo said the ₦70,000 national minimum wage is a legal floor, not a ceiling.
- The current minimum wage was signed into law in 2024, with a statutory review due in 2027.
- TUC says organised labour is already preparing for the next minimum-wage review.
- Osifo argued that federal salaries and allowances can be increased independently of minimum-wage negotiations.
TUC Calls for Higher Federal Government Salaries
TUC President Festus Osifo made the remarks on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, while briefing journalists in Abuja after a meeting of the union’s National Administrative Council.
Osifo argued that the national minimum wage establishes the lowest legally permissible wage but does not prevent employers, including the Federal Government, from paying workers substantially above that amount.
According to him, the government can independently review its salary structure and increase the pay of federal employees without waiting for the next statutory minimum-wage review.
‘Government Can Pay ₦200,000 or ₦400,000’
Osifo said the Federal Government could decide to increase the salary of its least-paid employee to ₦200,000 or ₦400,000 and adjust other salary grades accordingly.
He said such an increase would not necessarily require a fresh Minimum Wage Act because the statutory minimum wage should not be interpreted as a limit on what employers can pay.
“Government can wake up today and say, ‘Okay, I want to pay the least-paid worker in the Federal Government payroll ₦200,000,’ for example,” Osifo said.
He added that the government could also decide to make the lowest salary ₦400,000 and graduate the pay structure upwards.
TUC Says Minimum Wage Is a Floor, Not a Ceiling
The TUC president maintained that the purpose of a minimum wage is to establish a legal floor rather than prescribe the maximum amount an employee can earn.
He argued that the Federal Government, as an employer, has the discretion to improve salaries and allowances when it considers such adjustments necessary.
“Allowances don’t need a minimum wage conversation, and even salaries, government on its own can actually push the salaries of workers up,” he said.
Private Sector Pays Above Minimum Wage
Osifo pointed to parts of the private sector where employers reportedly offer salaries significantly above the statutory minimum wage based on the value and responsibilities attached to particular jobs.
He cited banks, food and beverage companies such as Nestlé and Cadbury, as well as oil companies including Shell, Chevron and TotalEnergies.
According to him, companies are increasingly considering what he described as a living wage rather than simply using the national minimum wage as the basis for remuneration.
The TUC president said the same principle could be applied by the Federal Government in determining salaries for its workforce.
Nigeria’s ₦70,000 Minimum Wage Due for Review in 2027
Nigeria’s current national minimum wage is ₦70,000, following the 2024 legislation that established the wage for a three-year period.
The next statutory review is therefore due in 2027.
Osifo said organised labour was already preparing for the review and had engaged key government officials, including the Minister of Finance and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
However, he argued that workers should not be required to wait until the statutory review before receiving improved salaries, particularly amid rising living costs.
TUC Pushes for Early Minimum Wage Review Process
The union is also pushing for early preparations ahead of the 2027 review process.
Reports on the TUC position indicate that labour wants the relevant review committee inaugurated by February so negotiations can be concluded by May or June, ahead of the expiration of the current wage law.
Osifo also referenced Ghana as an example of a country where government has increased workers’ pay without necessarily waiting for a fresh minimum-wage law.
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₦200,000–₦400,000 Figures Are Illustrative
The TUC president’s reference to ₦200,000 and ₦400,000 should not be interpreted as a formal new national minimum-wage demand.
The figures were presented as examples of what the Federal Government could choose to pay its own least-paid employees if it decided to independently review its salary structure.
Previous minimum-wage negotiations have involved substantially higher figures, while various labour groups and public-sector stakeholders have also made different salary proposals in 2026.
Osifo’s central argument was that the Federal Government does not have to wait for the next statutory minimum-wage negotiation before adjusting the salaries of its own employees.
Debate Grows Over Affordability and Cost of Living
The proposal has also generated discussion over whether salaries in the ₦200,000 to ₦400,000 range would adequately address the cost of living facing Nigerian workers.
Some reactions questioned the purchasing power of such salaries in the face of expenses such as food, transportation and housing.
Others argued that any substantial salary increase would need to be backed by a sustainable funding plan to prevent additional pressure on government finances.
The debate comes as organised labour and the Federal Government prepare for the next statutory minimum-wage review in 2027.
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