Organised Labour has reduced its demand from N615,000 to N500,000.
Representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress tabled the lowered offer at the ongoing Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage meeting.
However, the government team remains adamant about fixing the minimum wage at N54,000, an improvement on the N48,000 initially offered officially.
The team complained about unavailable public funds and the burden it could create for the private sector.
Meanwhile, the private sector has offered an additional N3,000, taking up its offer to N57,000 from the initial N54,000.
The Vanguard’s source said: “Government has agreed that NLC is using evidence-based presentation. But they argue that eight states are not paying or not fully implementing the 2019 minimum wage.
“Government is talking of non-availability of fund. They are also talking about the inability of the private sector to pay.
“Labour has been requested to shift in response to the Government. They complied and came down to N500,000.”
He said that the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma was present at the meeting: The Imo State Governor has stepped in. He is not a member of the committee but it is good that there is at least a Governor, as the six governors in the committee have been regularly absent.”