Sowore: We Proposed ₦100,000 Wage in 2019, ₦250,000 in 2023, Now Nigeria Is Catching Up

African Action Congress (AAC) leader and presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has argued that his previous proposals on Nigeria’s minimum wage have consistently been dismissed, only for similar figures to later be adopted or considered by the government.

In a statement shared on Sunday, Sowore said his movement proposed a ₦100,000 national minimum wage in 2019, but critics at the time argued that such an increase would fuel inflation and destabilise the economy.

According to him, those same arguments have since weakened following the approval of a ₦100,000 minimum wage for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces in 2026.

“We proposed a ₦100,000 minimum wage in 2019. They said it would cause inflation.

“In 2026, they approved a minimum wage of ₦100,000 for soldiers,” he wrote.

Sowore also recalled that during the 2023 general election campaign, he proposed a ₦250,000 national minimum wage, a suggestion he said was widely criticised by political opponents and government supporters.

“We proposed a ₦250,000 minimum wage in 2023. They claimed it would destroy the economy.

“Now, in 2026, they are proposing ₦250,000,” he stated.

Building on those arguments, the former presidential candidate announced a fresh proposal, calling for a ₦500,000 minimum and living wage for Nigerian workers.

According to Sowore, the country’s economic realities, rising inflation and increasing cost of living require wages that go beyond helping workers survive.

“Today, we are proposing a ₦500,000 minimum and living wage because Nigerians deserve not just to survive, but to live with dignity,” he said.

Sowore argued that successive governments have often been slow to respond to the economic challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians, saying policies are frequently introduced years after they are first proposed by others.

“They are always years behind the realities facing our people. We lead with ideas; they eventually follow,” he added.

The AAC leader also criticised political actors whom he described as hypocritical, alleging that many fail to advocate improved wages for workers until they assume public office or align with governments.

“These hypocrites, when they are in government or line up behind candidates lacking in ideas, never mention minimum wages for workers, never,” Sowore said.

The remarks come amid ongoing national conversations over workers’ welfare, rising inflation and demands from labour groups for improved wages to reflect Nigeria’s current economic conditions.

While Sowore maintains that a ₦500,000 living wage is necessary to restore workers’ purchasing power and improve living standards, the proposal is likely to generate fresh debate over its feasibility, funding and potential economic impact.