Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called for renewed attention to workers’ welfare, saying the N70,000 national minimum wage is no longer sufficient to cope with the rising cost of living.

Keyamo spoke at the 2026 National Pre-Retirement Summit organised by XEM Consultants Limited, where he urged the Federal Government to find common ground with organised labour as discussions over workers’ earnings continue.

The minister, according to Vanguard, said the purchasing power of Nigerian workers had been weakened by economic pressures since the minimum wage was raised from N30,000 to N70,000 in 2024. He noted that while labour unions were seeking as much as N500,000, the focus should be on reaching an arrangement that would provide meaningful relief to workers.

Keyamo also criticised the treatment of workers in some government institutions, particularly instances where basic allowances were allegedly withheld while substantial funds were approved for senior officials travelling abroad. He stressed that government policies must recognise workers as a central component of national productivity.

Speaking separately, Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero, called for part of the additional revenue accruing from higher international oil prices to be deployed to cushion Nigerians against rising transportation and food costs.

Ajaero argued that wage negotiations should not be based solely on the amount written on workers’ pay slips, but should consider what such earnings can actually purchase. He advocated linking salaries and pensions to inflation or a cost-of-living index to enable incomes to respond more quickly to economic changes.

The NLC president also said preparations for the next minimum wage review should begin early, noting that the current three-year review cycle places the next review around March or April. He, however, said labour’s immediate priority remained measures that could help workers cope with current economic hardship.