National Minimum Wage Act 2019 Has Expired, Says Falana

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Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has said that the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019, which set the national minimum wage at N30,000, has officially expired.

According to the legal luminary, it is time for the National Assembly to pass a new National Minimum Wage Act.

In a recent statement, Mr Falana pointed to section 3(4) of the Act, stating that the wage expires after five years and must be reviewed. Explaining further he noted that as the Act commenced on April 18, 2019, the minimum wage expired on April 18, 2024.

During the last May Day rally in Abuja, Honourable Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, announced that a new national minimum wage would take effect on May 1, 2024. This announcement follows the Federal Government’s removal of the fuel subsidy last year, which led to an additional N35,000 wage subsidy for six months starting September 1, 2023, bringing the total monthly wage to N65,000 during this period. Additionally, various state governments, including Lagos and Edo, set their minimum wage at N70,000.

However, the Federal Government has proposed a new minimum wage of N48,000. This proposal has been met with resistance from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), who have embarked on an indefinite strike over the failure to implement a realistic new minimum wage. Reports indicate that leaders of the National Assembly have stepped in to mediate the situation.

Falana in his brief statement, urged the National Assembly to swiftly pass a new National Minimum Wage Act, similar to the expedited enactment of the new National Anthem Act, which was completed within 48 hours last week.