Organized labour in Ondo State, under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliate unions, has demanded an immediate increase in the minimum wage for workers in the state, arguing that the current wage is unsustainable considering the current economic situation of the country.

The labour unions, in a letter addressed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, stated that the minimum wage be raised from the current N73,000 to a proposed N256,950.

In the letter dated September 19, 2025, which was cited by The Guardian, NLC also called for a corresponding upward review of pension benefits for retirees in the state.

With the letter signed by the NLC chairman in the state, Comrade Ademola Olapade, and the state secretary, Comrade Akin Sunday, the organized labour hinged their demand on rampant inflation and the removal of the fuel subsidy, as well as what they described as “skyrocketing costs of food, transportation, housing, and healthcare.”

While urging the governor to urgently constitute a negotiation committee comprising government officials and labour representatives to deliberate on the proposed wage structure, NLC argued that the state, at the moment, is in a strong financial position to meet the demand.

Organized labour emphasized that with Imo State, being a non-oil-producing state, recently approving and commencing payment of a N104,000 minimum wage for its workers and pensioners, Ondo State should not lag behind.

They equally reminded Aiyedatiwa of a prior commitment made during the last minimum wage negotiation, disclosing that the state government had vowed to review workers’ welfare whenever there was “an upward shift in the state’s revenue profile.”

The letter read, “Your Excellency, it is no longer news that the Nigerian economy has been severely battered by inflation, currency devaluation, the removal of fuel subsidies, and skyrocketing costs of food, housing, transportation, and healthcare. These factors have eroded the value of wages and left the average worker and pensioner in a state of perpetual economic suffocation.

“Despite this, Ondo State, as an oil-producing state, has continued to experience a tremendous increase in its internally generated revenue (IGR) and particularly federal allocations, due to the improved oil earnings, favourable market conditions, and subsidy funds.

“It is only just and reasonable that Ondo State, which is blessed with oil wealth and resource potential, does not lag behind but instead leads in setting progressive standards for others to emulate.

“Your Excellency, Ondo State is not just any state; it is a critical contributor to Nigeria’s oil revenue. As such, it is unacceptable that its workers and pensioners continue to live on wages that do not reflect the state’s strategic and financial status.

“Workers are the engine of governance and economic productivity, and pensioners are citizens who had served with loyalty during their better years and deserve to live the remainder of their lives with dignity.

“In light of the above, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ondo State Council and its affiliate unions are formally demanding the immediate upward review of the minimum wage for Ondo State workers to the sum of N256,950. This figure will form a realistic reflection of the current economic indices and the prevailing cost of survival for an average worker.

“Governance must not only be about policies and projects but also about people’s welfare and ability to live dignified lives. A government that pays its workers and pensioners a just wage is a government that honours the social contract it holds with its people.” (The Guardian)