The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has instructed Nigerian workers to stay home as the nationwide strike begins today, June 3.

The NLC announced this on their X handle this morning, June 3.

The organized labor unions decided to continue with the nationwide strike after a failed meeting with the Federal Government and National Assembly leaders over a new national minimum wage and the reversal of the recent electricity tariff increase.

The labor unions argue that the current ₦30,000 minimum wage is insufficient for the average Nigerian worker and complain that not all governors are paying this amount. The current wage, set in April 2019, expired in April 2024. The law requires a review every five years to meet workers’ economic needs.

The labor unions had given the government a deadline of May 31 to agree on a new minimum wage. On May 31, the unions declared a nationwide strike starting June 3, 2024, due to the government’s failure to agree on a new wage and to reverse the electricity tariff hike.

During negotiations, labor unions rejected three government offers, including the latest offer of ₦60,000. Both the TUC and NLC pulled out of talks, demanding ₦497,000 as the new minimum wage.