The Federal Government has commenced preliminary consultations with stakeholders ahead of negotiations for a new national minimum wage, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, has disclosed.
Shoretire made this known on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at a capacity-building workshop for labour correspondents in Abuja.
He said formal negotiations had not started and no timetable had been fixed, but preliminary discussions were already underway.
Shoretire said details of the government’s proposals would be made public when the process reached the appropriate stage.
He also disclosed that the ministry was engaging workers in sectors with outstanding disputes over salaries and allowances, with discussions in the health, education and other sectors being accelerated for possible inclusion in the 2027 budget.
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The development comes amid renewed labour demands for a review of the N70,000 minimum wage approved in 2024.
On Monday, September 21, the Trade Union Side of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council called for a committee to begin negotiations ahead of January 2027.
The workers are seeking a N500,000 minimum wage, an immediate wage award and salary reviews. The Nigeria Labour Congress backed the demands and called for petrol to be sold at N500 per litre.
The N70,000 wage replaced the N30,000 benchmark introduced in 2019, while the 2024 law reduced the wage-review cycle from five years to three.
The Federal Government has yet to announce a new wage figure or set a date for formal negotiations.