The Lagos chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the state government to raise the minimum wage from ₦85,000 to ₦225,000, arguing that current pay levels no longer reflect the realities of life in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
The demand was made on Friday by the state chairperson, Funmi Sessi, during celebrations marking International Workers’ Day at Mobolaji Johnson Arena.
Sessi said the proposed increase had become unavoidable in the face of rising inflation and spiralling living costs, warning that many workers are struggling to meet even basic needs.
“Given the current economic hardship and the high cost of living in Lagos, this amount is no longer sufficient,” she said. “We, therefore, respectfully appeal to the state government to review the minimum wage to ₦225,000 in the interest of workers and industrial harmony.”
While acknowledging that the existing wage approved by Babajide Sanwo-Olu was a step forward, she argued that it has quickly been overtaken by economic realities.
Her remarks reflect broader anxieties about the impact of inflation on household incomes, with rising prices of food and essential goods pushing more workers into financial precarity.
Sessi also pointed to insecurity and poverty as compounding pressures, warning that concerns such as kidnapping and displacement are affecting productivity and wellbeing.
“The current inflation rate of 15.38% has worsened the suffering of our people,” she said. “Prices of foodstuffs and other essential commodities have risen significantly, making workers more vulnerable.”
She called on both federal and state authorities to strengthen security measures and adopt policies that improve living standards, even as she acknowledged ongoing infrastructure projects and worker-focused initiatives by the Lagos government.
The event was attended by the deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, who represented the governor, alongside other officials and labour leaders, underscoring the growing pressure on policymakers to respond to Nigeria’s deepening cost-of-living crisis
