“A Wage That Cannot Sustain a Worker Is Neither Fair Nor Decent” — NASU

By Taibat Ummi Yakubu

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has demanded an urgent increase in the national minimum wage, warning that the rising cost of basic necessities is leaving Nigerian workers struggling to survive on their current earnings.

Speaking at the union’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, NASU President Makolo Hassan said the ₦70,000 minimum wage had become increasingly inadequate as the prices of food, fuel, rent, electricity, transportation and healthcare continued to put pressure on household finances.

Hassan said the Federal Government needed to begin the process of reviewing workers’ pay, arguing that wages should reflect the realities of the economy and enable employees to maintain a reasonable standard of living.

“NASU, therefore, calls on the Federal Government to immediately set in motion the necessary machinery for an urgent review of the National Minimum Wage, in line with the prevailing economic realities and the escalating cost of living in Nigeria,” he said.

He warned that without a system of regular wage adjustments, inflation would continue to reduce the value of workers’ salaries, leaving them with less money to meet their daily needs. He therefore advocated periodic reviews that would take changes in the cost of living into account.

The union also called for urgent action to address rising food prices. Citing a food inflation rate of 19.57 per cent in July 2026, Hassan urged the government to support farmers, strengthen security in farming communities and invest in food production and distribution.

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He said improving agricultural productivity and transportation would help ease the cost of food, while more affordable electricity, accessible housing and better public transport would reduce some of the financial pressures confronting workers.

Beyond the demand for higher wages, Hassan raised concerns about employment conditions, calling for an end to casualisation, greater job security and the prompt payment of outstanding workers’ entitlements.

He also urged employers to respect trade union rights, stressing that collective bargaining, freedom of association and peaceful assembly were essential protections for employees.

On developments within the education sector, Hassan expressed hope that recently signed agreements between the Federal Government and NASU would translate into better working conditions and improved welfare for non-academic staff.

He said the agreement covering universities and inter-university centres was signed on June 29, 2026, while agreements for polytechnics and colleges of education were concluded on September 3, 2026.

The union’s demand places renewed focus on whether Nigeria’s current minimum wage can adequately support workers amid persistent cost-of-living pressures. NASU maintains that improving workers’ welfare requires not only reviewing salaries but also tackling the high cost of essential goods and services.