President Bola Tinubu is set to address the new national minimum wage with state governors during the 142nd National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, scheduled to take place on Thursday at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.
Femi Gbajabiamila, the President’s Chief of Staff, announced this unusual appearance while in Kano, leading a delegation to offer condolences to Vice President Kashim Shettima over the passing of his mother-in-law.
Delivering President Tinubu’s message to Vice President Shettima, Gbajabiamila highlighted the significance of the President’s attendance at the NEC meeting.
“He is indeed saddened and he wished he was here with you. You know our President is very ubiquitous, he can be in a million places at the same time, but unfortunately, this bill, as you well know, calls for him to be at the seat of power,” Gbajabiamila said.
He continued, “Indeed, he will be joining you tomorrow and that’s how important his presence in Abuja is right now. He will be joining you tomorrow at the NEC meeting, which he ever hardly attends, this might even be his first meeting.”
The NEC meeting follows the Federal Executive Council’s decision on Tuesday to defer the Tripartite Committee’s report on the new national minimum wage.
The council stated the need for President Tinubu to consult with additional stakeholders, including state governors, local government authorities, and the private sector, before proceeding.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, explained the decision to delay action on the memo.
“That memo was stepped down to enable Mr President to consult further, especially with the state governors and the organized private sector, before he makes a presentation to the National Assembly before an executive bill is presented to the National Assembly,” Idris said.
He emphasized the inclusive nature of the minimum wage issue, “So I want to state that on the new national minimum wage, Mr President is going to consult further so that he can have an informed position because the new national minimum wage, as I said, is not just an issue of the federal government. It affects the state governments, it affects the local governments, it also affects the organised private sector, and that is why it is called the national minimum wage. It’s not just an affair of the federal government.”
The Federal Government, organized private sector, and labor unions have held multiple discussions on the new minimum wage. While the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) demand a wage of N250,000, the Federal Government, states, and organized private sector have proposed N62,000. State governors argue they cannot sustain a minimum wage higher than N60,000.
The NEC, established by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), consists of the 36 state governors, the Governor of the Central Bank, and other co-opted officials.
Chaired by the Vice President, the council meets monthly to advise the President on economic affairs and coordinate economic planning across various governments within the federation.