Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned the newly approved N70,000 minimum wage by President Bola Tinubu, calling it insufficient to meet workers’ basic needs such as transportation, food, and housing. He argued that the amount does not reflect the current economic realities.
Obasanjo also criticized labour leaders, accusing them of betraying workers by prioritizing personal gains over collective welfare. He expressed disappointment over their actions, stating, “That is the situation in Nigeria in the third decade of the 21st century.” He further noted that the wage is inadequate, saying, “The minimum wage does not even cover transportation costs for some workers, let alone food, housing, and family upkeep.” These remarks are part of his recently published book, Nigeria: Past and Future.
In Chapter 17, Obasanjo accused labour leaders of neglecting workers while pursuing selfish interests. According to him, “Workers need more attention than they are getting. It is their right, and they have been denied it for too long. They have become victims of those meant to protect their interests.” He questioned how union leaders could negotiate for personal political gains while in office, asking, “How did it happen that a trade union leader, while in office, was negotiating with a political party to be adopted as a gubernatorial candidate?”
Obasanjo lamented that many labour leaders today fall short of the expectations set by their predecessors. “Because of their political ambitions, most union leaders are ineffective compared to the founding fathers’ expectations,” he said. As a result, workers suffer under leaders who use their positions for personal political advancement. He accused them of accepting bribes instead of genuinely advocating for workers, saying, “Rather than negotiate in the interest of the workers, they do sabre-rattling and they are called into the room and money in large amounts is stuffed into their hands and they keep quiet.” He emphasized that this practice has been ongoing since 2015 and is worsening.
Obasanjo also criticized government officials who openly admitted to bribing labour leaders to silence protests. He referenced a senior official who reportedly said, “We have paid them to keep quiet and stop agitating.” He questioned what positive contributions such union leaders were making, stressing, “You do not get the best from a frustrated and depressed worker.”
While acknowledging that everyone has the right to pursue political ambitions, Obasanjo argued that it is unethical for union leaders to use their positions as stepping stones for politics, as this creates a conflict of interest. To prevent this, he suggested implementing a law that would require labour leaders to wait at least five years after leaving office before joining politics.
On July 29, 2024, Tinubu officially signed the N70,000 minimum wage into law, following negotiations with organized labour and the private sector, which concluded on July 18, 2024. The final amount was a significant reduction from labour’s initial demand of N250,000 per month.
Before this adjustment, the country’s minimum wage had been N33,000, which was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari on April 18, 2019.
