The Federal Government has begun consultations towards reviewing Nigeria’s current national minimum wage, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, has disclosed.

Shoretire made this known in Abuja during a capacity-building workshop organised for labour correspondents, saying internal discussions were already ongoing ahead of negotiations on a new wage structure.

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According to him, the government has not released an official timetable for the negotiation process, but consultations on the proposed review are already underway. He added that details would be made public when the government is ready to formally involve the media in the discussions.

The Permanent Secretary also disclosed that the Federal Government was engaging workers in some sectors where disagreements over salaries, allowances and other payments remain unresolved.

The planned review comes amid continued pressure from organised labour over the rising cost of living and the impact of inflation on workers’ purchasing power. The current national minimum wage of ₦70,000 was approved in 2024 following negotiations between the Federal Government, labour unions and other stakeholders.

Labour organisations have continued to demand an upward review of the wage, arguing that the cost of food, transportation, housing and other basic necessities has significantly increased. Some labour groups have called for a new national minimum wage of ₦500,000.