Employers in the organised private sector have urged the Federal Government to urgently address rising transport costs, food inflation and housing pressures ahead of the next national minimum wage negotiations, warning that the talks may fail if underlying economic challenges are not resolved.

This is coming a day after the Nigeria Governors’ Forum disclosed that state governors are proposing a new national minimum wage of N100,000 as part of ongoing efforts to cushion the effects of economic hardship on Nigerian workers.

Also, the Nigeria Labour Congress had earlier announced during the May Day celebrations that negotiations for a new minimum wage would commence in July.

Reacting, Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said early engagement and decisive policy action are necessary to ensure the wage talks reflect real economic conditions rather than nominal figures. Oyerinde stressed that wage negotiations must be preceded by deliberate interventions targeting key cost drivers affecting workers, especially transportation, food security and housing.

He called for structured collaboration among government, labour and the private sector ahead of formal negotiations to avoid prolonged disputes and implementation challenges.

“For now, we commend the NLC for raising the issue. Before now, we have advocated for a proactive, quasi-formal engagement—perhaps an informal conversation that government should begin leading,” he said.

He noted that policy discussions should begin early, referencing International Labour Organisation (ILO) guidelines on wage-setting, which he said had already been shared with relevant government agencies to guide preparatory steps.

Oyerinde argued that addressing transportation challenges should be a priority, warning that unresolved issues could become major obstacles during wage negotiations. (The Guardian)