Every weekday before sunrise, thousands of public servants in Abuja leave their homes knowing that before they even resume work, a significant portion of their salaries has already been spent on transportation, breakfast, and other daily necessities.

By the time they return home, many are left calculating how to stretch what remains until the next payday. For millions of Nigerian workers, earning a salary has increasingly become an exercise in survival, rather than a pathway to decent living.

That reality has reignited debate over whether Nigeria’s N70,000 national minimum wage still reflects the true value of labour in today’s economy. Although the current wage only came into effect in 2024, the persistent rise in the cost of food, transportation, rent and utilities has left many workers questioning its purchasing power.

With the National Minimum Wage Act now providing for a review every three years, the next negotiation is expected to be another defining moment in Nigeria’s labour relations. But beyond whatever figure eventually emerges from negotiations lies a more fundamental question: what is a Nigerian worker’s labour really worth in today’s economy?

The debate over minimum wage is not new. Nigeria has progressively increased the national minimum wage since the first formal legislation was enacted in 1981 at N125; N250 in 1990/1991; N5,500 in 1998/2000; N18,000 in 2011; N30,000 in 2019 and now, N70,000 in 2024. Yet, many workers argue that while salaries have risen over the years, the cost of living has increased even faster, steadily eroding the value of every pay cheque.

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For Mrs. Deborah Oche, a senior administrative officer at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, that reality is impossible to ignore.

“Prices of almost everything we use daily have changed. Transportation, food items and even basic household needs cost far more than they did when the present minimum wage was introduced. The salary has not increased at the same pace”, she said.

Asked what she considers an appropriate minimum wage today, she replied without hesitation:

“I believe nothing less than ₦200,000 would give the average worker some breathing space. Even then, the government must ensure that inflation is brought under control; otherwise any increase will soon lose its value.”

Across ministries, schools and hospitals, workers told remarkably similar stories. Though they perform different duties and wear different uniforms, they all pointed to the same challenge: salaries are losing value faster than they can earn them.

At a public secondary school in Mpape, Mr. Emmanuel Yusuf, a teacher with over 15 years of service, says the rising cost of living has forced many families to constantly adjust their spending. He asserted:

“You prepare your budget at the beginning of the month, but before long, prices have changed again. You keep adjusting.”

For Yusuf, the issue goes beyond figures:

“The important thing is that wages should reflect economic realities. A teacher should not have to worry every day about whether his salary can cover basic living expenses.”

He believes N200,000 would be a reasonable starting point.

Working long shifts at a public hospital in Kubwa, Mrs. Grace Nwosu, a nursing officer, says healthcare workers are facing the same economic pressures as the patients they treat.

“We advise people on healthy living every day, but many workers cannot even afford balanced meals consistently because food prices continue to rise.”

She proposes N220,000 as a realistic minimum wage.

“But beyond increasing salaries, the government should stabilise prices. If salaries go up today and everything becomes more expensive tomorrow, workers gain nothing.”

For Mr. Ibrahim Adamu, a clerical officer with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA)  Area 10, the conversation is fundamentally about dignity.

“A worker who puts in eight hours or more every day deserves to live decently. Salary should not only keep you alive; it should give you peace of mind.”

He believes N200,000 represents a fair balance between workers’ needs and government’s financial responsibilities.

Many of the workers also spoke about the need for predictability in wage reviews, arguing that the process should become routine rather than contentious.

Mrs. Chinyere David, a Vocal Skills Development Officer  at the National Directorate of Employment headquarters in Abuja, says workers have become accustomed to uncertainty.

“The issue is not just the amount. We should know that every three years, the government, employers and labour will sit down, negotiate and conclude the process professionally.”

She recommends N200,000. Warning: “There shouldn’t be unnecessary drama every time wages are due for review.”

Mr. Musa Abdullahi, a senior non-academic staff member of the University of Abuja, believes inflation remains workers’ biggest challenge.

“A salary that looked reasonable a year ago no longer has the same value today.” His preferred figure is N200,000. “But more importantly, wage implementation should be prompt. Agreements should not remain on paper.”

For Mrs. Esther Audu, a cleaner at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the burden is often heavier for junior workers.

“People assume only senior officers have responsibilities. We also feed families, pay school fees and support relatives.”

She believes the next minimum wage should be at least N180,000.

“We don’t want luxury. We only want to live with dignity and be able to meet our families’ basic needs.”

An officer of the Federal Fire Service opposite Old Parade Ground, Abuja, Mr. John Danjuma, says those in uniform face unique occupational risks that should be reflected in their welfare.

“Whether you work in an office or respond to emergencies, everyone is affected by rising prices.” He proposes N200,000. “The government should see workers as partners in national development.”

At the international terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Mr. Samuel Nwabueze, a senior staff member of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), says salaries now disappear almost immediately after they are paid.

“When salaries come, they disappear quickly because the cost of everyday living keeps increasing.” He supports a minimum wage of N220,000 as minimum wage.

“But enforcement is important. Every employer covered by the law should comply.”

Although the workers interviewed came from different professions, their concerns were remarkably similar. None argued that wages should increase simply for the sake of higher earnings. Rather, they insisted that salaries must preserve purchasing power and reflect prevailing economic realities.

While the proposed figures ranged from N180,000 to N220,000, the overwhelming majority settled around N200,000 as a realistic benchmark. Yet almost every worker added the same caveat: unless inflation is effectively managed, any wage increase risks being quickly eroded by rising prices.

While workers described the pressures they face daily, organised labour argues that the solution lies not simply in announcing a higher figure but in making wage reviews predictable and protecting workers’ purchasing power.

The Head of Information and Public Affairs of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Benson Upah, says the law now provides for a review of the national minimum wage every three years, and all parties should treat the process as a routine collective bargaining exercise..

According to him, there is no reason every wage review should degenerate into prolonged public confrontation.

“The review should be undertaken as provided by law. Government, employers and organised labour should sit together, negotiate in good faith and conclude the process within a reasonable time.”

He argues that prolonged public debates often create unintended economic consequences. “When discussions drag on in the public domain, speculators take advantage of the situation. Some traders and service providers begin increasing prices in anticipation of higher wages long before workers receive any increment.”

Upah said this weakens the real value of whatever increase is eventually approved n, he insists that the objective of wage negotiations should be to protect workers’ purchasing power rather than merely announcing impressive figures.

“The emphasis should be on a living wage. A worker who gives his best every day should earn enough to live decently.”

Corroborating the views expressed by many workers, the General Secretary of ITUC-Africa, Comrade Akhator Joel Odigie, argues that wage increases alone cannot solve workers’ welfare challenges.

According to him, governments at all levels must simultaneously pursue policies that tame inflation, improve public transportation, strengthen food security and stabilise the economy.

Only then, he says, will salary increases translate into genuine improvements in living standards. He also advocates institutionalising the three-year review process so that wage negotiations become predictable and less contentious.

The voices captured in this report point to a broader aspiration. Workers are not merely demanding bigger pay packets. They are asking for certainty. They want wage negotiations concluded on schedule, agreements implemented without unnecessary delays and the purchasing power of their earnings protected. Above all, they want the dignity of labour reflected in the wages they receive.

As the next statutory review of the national minimum wage approaches, the challenge before the government, employers and organised labour is not simply to agree on another figure. It is to ensure that whatever amount is negotiated remains meaningful long after the announcement.

For the administrative officer, the teacher, the nurse, the laboratory scientist, the cleaner, the firefighter and countless other public servants who keep government institutions running every day, the debate is deeply personal. Their labour powers the machinery of the Nigerian state.

Their hope is that the value attached to that labour will finally reflect the realities of survival in today’s economy.

One message echoes throughout their stories: the conversation must move beyond the politics of minimum wage to the economics of decent living. After all, the true worth of labour is measured not by the figure announced after negotiations, but by what that wage can still buy when workers return to the market the following morning.