On behalf of organised labour, the communique was signed by NLC President Ayuba Wabba; TUC President Quadri Olaleye; Secretary-General NLC, Emmanuel Ugboaja; Secretary-General TUC Musa Lawal Ozigi; NUPENG President Williams Akporeha; PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo; President NUEE Martin Uzoegwu and President, SSAEAC Chris N. Okonkwo.

According to the labour leaders, they considered the impact of COVID-19 before agreeing to shelve the industrial action.

Part of the communique read, “Recognising the public outcry and protest over the recent Federal Government twin policies on Electricity Tariff Reform and full implementation of deregulation of the downstream sector of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry resulting in the planned nationwide industrial action by Organised Labour; Bearing in mind the spiral and negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on world economy, Further bearing in mind that due to impact of COVID-19 pandemic the world is undergoing socio-economic transition which has affected price stability, sustainability of enterprises, employment, and other socio-economic indices; Acknowledging that the spiral and negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy has given rise to the need for a new socio-economic order; Recognising the need to sustain enterprises for retention and creation of jobs as well as sustainable growth and development; Acknowledging the need for social concertation between the Federal Government and workers’ representatives, namely the two Labour Centres – The NLC and TUC; To aid in the dialogue and communication, the Federal Government side made presentations to show the state of economy and the drive behind the recent cost–reflective Electricity Tariff adjustments and deregulation of the downstream sector of the Petroleum Industry; Bipartite meeting to address and resolve the issues in dispute between the Federal Government and Labour Centres were held on September 15, 24, and 27, 2020, After exhaustive deliberations on the issues raised by Labour Centres, the Federal Government stated that it has fashioned out palliatives that would ameliorate the sufferings that Nigerian workers may experience as a result of the cost-reflective Electricity Tariff adjustments and deregulation of the downstream sector of the Petroleum Industry. The palliatives will be in the areas of transport, power, housing, agriculture and humanitarian support. After thorough debates and negotiations on various issues raised by all parties, resolutions were reached and mutually adopted.”

The agreement reached on Thursday Oct 17, at the end of a delicate negotiation which lasted for 3 days include an increase of 23.2 percent for workers on level 7, a 20 percent increase for workers on level 8 and a 19 percent increase for workers on level 9. Workers on level 10- 14 will be getting a 16 percent salary increase while workers on level 15-17 will get a 14 percent increase.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo who confirmed that both parties have reached an agreement via a tweet, added that they are working on the communique.

The tweet read, “After some delicate negotiations (with both ministers as conciliators), the government and labour have finally reached an agreement on the consequential adjustment of other wages following the implementation of the enhanced minimum wage of N30,000. We are working on the communiqué.”

Also confirming the agreement reached at the end of the negotiation, the President of the Trade Union Congress, Quadri, and its Secretary General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi said that the government could not afford to meet their earlier demand of N30,000 minimum wage, hence the agreement on percentage increase.

Their statement read, “We commend the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, and her team for their sincerity. Though they argued that the government could not afford to meet our earlier demand of N30,000 minimum wage across board because of the economic situation in the country, we made them understand that some people could not be more Nigerian than others. If we are tightening our belts, government should also do so.”