Workers can’t survive on N70,000 minimum wage – Tinubu’s Minister, Keyamo

Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has expressed concern that Nigerian workers can no longer make ends meet with the current N70,000 minimum wage. Speaking at the 2026 National Pre-Retirement Summit organized by XEM Consultants Limited, Keyamo highlighted the impact of the rising cost of living on workers' purchasing power.

He emphasized the urgent need for a wage review and urged the Federal Government to engage in more productive discussions with organized labor. Keyamo pointed out that workers are demanding wages as high as N500,000, recalling the negotiations that led to the increase in the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 in 2024. Despite the increased minimum wage, he stressed that it remains inadequate to cover the economic challenges workers face.

Keyamo also criticized some government agencies for their treatment of workers, particularly instances where basic allowances are withheld while senior officials approve expenditures for international travel. He underscored the indispensable role of workers, stating, "Without these workers, we will not have a country. It's not the machines or everything that you have; it's the human factor. Without that, no machine will move."