Workers in Lagos State are demanding a new minimum wage of ₦150,000, as the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to match rising living costs and follow the examples recently set by Imo and Ebonyi states.
Speaking on Thursday, Lagos NLC Chairperson Funmi Sesi said the current wage of ₦85,000 no longer reflects the harsh realities of accommodation, transportation, utilities, and feeding in Nigeria’s commercial capital. She stressed that Lagos workers, who face some of the country’s steepest living expenses, deserve a wage structure that allows them to live with dignity.
“The time has come for an upward review of minimum wage in Lagos. At least someone has taken the bull by the horns and opened the space. Nobody can blame Governor Sanwo-Olu if he implements a higher wage today because workers here deserve better conditions,” Sesi declared.
Her comments came after Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State raised the minimum wage from ₦76,000 to ₦104,000, while the Ebonyi State Government increased its own structure from ₦70,000 to ₦90,000 earlier this week. The twin announcements have fueled fresh agitation across Nigeria as labour unions push governors to act.
Sesi insisted that Lagos, with its high revenue base and position as Nigeria’s economic hub, has no excuse to lag behind. “We have seen Ebonyi and Imo make bold moves. Lagos must do better because the cost of living here is higher than in any other state. Workers cannot keep shouldering the burden without fair compensation,” she added.
The Lagos NLC boss expressed optimism that more states would emulate the new wage benchmarks, but stressed that the country’s labour centres would not allow foot-dragging by governors. “What we are asking for is fairness. A worker’s salary must match the reality of the markets and the rent they pay. Anything short of that is modern-day slavery,” she noted.
Her statement is already stirring debate, with civil servants and unions across Nigeria pointing out that the federal government’s proposed minimum wage review must take into account state-by-state disparities in the cost of living. Labour leaders are expected to make a stronger case when negotiations resume with the government in September.
For Lagos workers, however, the demand is clear: without ₦150,000 minimum wage, they argue survival in Africa’s largest city will remain a daily struggle, and any government that ignores it risks industrial unrest.
