National
Minimum wage to be reviewed every 3 years – Tinubu
The new N70,000 minimum wage adopted by the Federal Government after consultation with the Organised Labour on Thursday will be reviewed after three years.
Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, said this while addressing State House correspondents.
He disclosed this after the meeting between representatives of the Federal Government led by President Bola Tinubu and the Organised Labour.
The Minister also said President Tinubu agreed that the national minimum wage review would no longer be done every five years.
Idris also said President Tinubu would perfect the proposal on the new minimum wage in a bill to be forwarded to the National Assembly next week.
“We’re happy to announce today that both the federal government and Organised Labour have agreed on an increase on the N62,000.
“The new national minimum wage that we expect to be submitted to the National Assembly for legislation is N70,000.
“But that is not all. Mr President has assured of massive investment in infrastructure. There is also a deepening of the investment of the Federal Government in renewable energy,” he said.
Idris said to complement the new minimum wage, the Federal Government would ramp up the rollout of Compressed Natural Gas-powered buses in order to check the high cost of transportation.
He said that efforts were also being made to improve the economy and reduce inflation, including the recent directive on the suspension of duty on certain food imports to bring down the prices of food items.
Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour, said that the issue of minimum wage was not that of the law and not who was right, or who would blink first.
“He said that he is our father, like he has always said. That, first and foremost, the review of this minimum wage policy has to be reduced to three years, that five years is too long a time to get any minimum wage review.
“And of course, that Labour should look at the indices of the economy and accept N70,000, minimum wage,” she said.
Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said that the labour unions agreed to the new minimum wage, shifting ground from their original N250, 000 proposal.
“The amount of N70,000 happens to be where we are now. But the good thing about it is that will not wait for another five years to come for review.
“Rather than settling on a figure that we wait for five years, is like we’ll have to now negotiate even two times within five years, with a view to going up.
“That is one of the reasons we decided to reach where we are today. Because of the proviso that we can review in the next three years,” he said.
He also spoke on strike embarked upon on Thursday by the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions.
Ajaero said the President had asked the agencies concerned to work out the modalities for the payment of those workers in the universities.
Festus Osifo, president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), said the catch on the approved wage was the issue of five years review, which Labour had been pushing for.
“The next review will be in three years. And after that, pronouncement, we from labour we have received what the President has promised from both ends,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the N70,000 minimum wage is about 133 per cent increase over the old minimum wage of N30,000, which came into effect in 2019.
President Tinubu had met with Organised Labour over the new minimum wage last week where he declared that Nigerian workers deserved improved welfare, better wages, as well as safe and enhanced working conditions.
The President also said he was concerned about the welfare of Nigerian workers and that his administration was working on a wage that will beacceptable to all. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially dissolved the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which includes the removal of Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mele Kyari and Chairman Pius Akinyelure, along with all other board members appointed in November 2023.
In an announcement, the President introduced an 11-member restructured board, appointing Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new GCEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as the Non-Executive Chairman. These changes are effective immediately, as stated by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy.
Emphasizing the need for “enhanced operational efficiency, restored investor confidence, and a more commercially viable NNPC,” President Tinubu exercised his authority under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to implement this significant reorganization.
The newly formed board comprises Adedapo Segun, who continues as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), alongside six non-executive directors representing Nigeria’s geopolitical zones: Bello Rabiu (North West), Yusuf Usman (North East), Babs Omotowa (North Central), Austin Avuru (South-South), David Ige (South West), and Henry Obih (South East). Additionally, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, and Aminu Said Ahmed, representing the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, will serve on the board.
The President has charged the new board with conducting a strategic review of NNPC-operated and Joint Venture assets to optimize value. This includes increasing crude oil production to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2027 and 3 million bpd by 2030, boosting gas production to 8 billion cubic feet daily by 2027 and 10 billion by 2030, and expanding NNPC’s refining capacity to 200,000 bpd by 2027 and 500,000 bpd by 2030. The administration also aims to attract $30 billion in oil investments by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030, building on the $17 billion secured in 2024.
Ahmadu Musa Kida, the new Chairman, is a Borno-born engineer and former Deputy Managing Director of Total Nigeria. He also has a background in basketball, having served as the ex-president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF). Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the newly appointed GCEO, hails from Kwara State and was previously the Executive Vice President of Renaissance Africa Energy, where he led a $2.4 billion acquisition of Shell’s Nigerian assets. He brings extensive experience from Elf and Shell, having worked across Europe and the Middle East.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the outgoing board for their contributions, particularly their efforts in reviving the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, which have resumed production after years of dormancy. Analysts view this leadership change as part of Tinubu’s broader reforms in the oil sector, following last year’s removal of fuel subsidies and the promotion of private refinery investments. With the new team established, there are high expectations for enhanced transparency, efficiency, and profitability within Nigeria’s state oil enterprise.
Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the federal government plans to commence implementing the drill-or-drop provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Section 94 of the PIA gives operators a period of three years to begin oil production or relinquish the assets to the federal government.
Speaking during the Cross Industry Group (CIG) meeting held on Tuesday in Florence, Italy, Lokpobiri said it is in the best interest of the country that all inactive wells go to work.
He said the federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has provided every necessary incentive to ensure international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria run smoothly and profitably.
“Now, it is imperative for these industry players to match the government’s efforts with increased investment by announcing final investment decisions (FIDs),” he said.
Furthermore, Lokpobiri discussed “the challenges, expectations, and measures to enhance the sector’s contributions towards domestic energy needs and regional expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa”.
He emphasised that while IOCs have highlighted engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors as a challenge, “EPCs will not come unless they see strong commitments from industry players”.
“The government has done its part to provide the requisite and investment-friendly fiscals, the ball is now in the court of the IOCs and other operators to make strategic investment decisions that will drive increased production and sustainability in the sector,” he said.
“We must also recognise that domestic crude supply is essential to national energy security. The best solution to this challenge lies in increasing production, which will ensure a balance between domestic supply obligations and external commitments.”
The minister further urged industry players to explore collaborative measures, such as shared resources for contiguous assets and the release of underutilised assets to operators ready to invest in production.
The minority caucus in the house of representatives has condemned the killing of 16 Kano-bound hunters in Edo state.
On Thursday, a mob in the Uromi area of Edo killed 16 hunters of northern descent who were travelling from Elele, Rivers state.
The travellers were attacked and lynched after some vigilance group members raised the alarm on suspicion that they were kidnappers.
The Edo state government said 14 suspects arrested in connection with the killing would be transferred to Abuja for further interrogation.
During a visit to some of the families of the victims at Bankure LGA in Kano, Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, assured that justice would be served.
In a statement issued on Monday, the minority caucus described the killing of the hunters as “barbaric”.
“We find such brutal killings of innocent Nigerians in any part of the country by lawless mobs very reprehensible, and if allowed to fester without being put in check by responsible organs of the federal government, such actions could threaten the peace and unity of the country,” the statement reads.
The lawmakers asked Nigerians never to resort to jungle attacks on fellow citizens but to always report any concerns to security agencies.
“We are a nation under the rule of laws, and our law enforcement agencies are always available to partner with every Nigerian to assuage their concerns,” the caucus said.
While noting that the incident is “already setting emotions on edge” in parts of the country, the legislators urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the security agencies investigate this matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Also, adequate compensation should be paid to the affected families,” the caucus said.
The lawmakers implored Nigerians to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding and allow the federal and state governments to investigate the matter and ensure justice is served.
The statement was signed by Kingsley Chinda, minority leader; Ali Isa, minority whip; and Aliyu Madaki, deputy minority leader.