The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said Nigerian workers can no longer survive on the N70,000 national minimum wage amid rising economic pressures.
Keyamo made the remarks at the 2026 National Pre-Retirement Summit organised by XEM Consultants Limited.
Speaking at the event, the minister said the rising cost of living had significantly eroded workers’ purchasing power, making an upward review of wages necessary.
He consequently called on the Federal Government to meet organised labour halfway in the ongoing discussions over a possible wage review.
According to Keyamo, labour unions were demanding as much as N500,000, recalling the negotiations that preceded the increase in the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 in 2024.
The minister, however, acknowledged that the current N70,000 minimum wage was insufficient to cushion workers against the economic challenges they face.
Keyamo also criticised the treatment of workers by some government agencies, particularly instances where employees are allegedly denied basic allowances while senior officials approve substantial funds for international trips.
“I will have none of it. 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,” he said.
