• NLC declares strike over new minimum wage and electricity tariff increase
• NCS raise the exchange rate for import duties to ₦1,474/$
• FG pleads for more time to discuss minimum wage with NLC
• Keyamo suspends $300 helicopter landing levy
• Ayra Starr’s new album quashes hostility between Wizkid and Don Jazzy

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.

NLC declares strike over new minimum wage and electricity tariff increase

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have declared a strike over the delays in effecting an agreeable minimum wage into law along with the electricity tariff increase.

The Organised Labour announced that the strike would begin on June 3, as the Tripartite Committee has been unable to fulfil the role they were employed to do, as the last proposed minimum wage was ₦60,000 while NLC demands ₦494,000.

“We reiterate that since the National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise has not been concluded and the agreed wage passed into law, the hike in electricity tariff has not been reversed, and the categorisation of consumers into Bands has not stopped as demanded; Nigerian workers are compelled by these failures to embark on an indefinite nationwide industrial action beginning on Monday, the 3rd of June, 2024 to press home our demands,” Festus Osifo, the President of TUC said.

NCS raise the exchange rate for import duties to ₦1,474/$

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has raised its exchange rate for import duties, making it ₦1,474/$ within a day after announcing its rate was ₦1,196/$ on May 30.

The NCS can adopt exchange rates from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for import duties based on the trading activities in the official foreign exchange window.

FG pleads for more time to discuss minimum wage with NLC

Upon hearing that the Organised Labour would be embarking on an indefinite nationwide strike starting June 3, the federal government has pleaded for it not to take effect as it requires more time to proffer a solution for the minimum wage.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, called for a truce as he stated that the interest of the collective public should be the priority of the Organised Labour, saying industrial action was not the solution to an ongoing negotiation.

However, the President of NLC, Joe Ajero, called out the duality of the minister, stating that no governors and ministers except the Minister of Labour and Employment were present at any of the negotiations, which proved that the government itself was in no way interested in securing a good deal for Nigerian workers.

Keyamo suspends $300 helicopter landing levy

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced the temporary suspension of enforcement of the collection of helicopter landing levy at helipads, aerodromes, and airstrips.

This development came up shortly after the Minister met with the executives of Airline Operators of Nigeria.

Earlier in the year, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development had instructed that helicopter operators would pay a $300 landing charge fee to be received by NAEBI Dynamic Concept Limited.

Ayra Starr’s new album quashes hostility between Wizkid and Don Jazzy

The release of Ayra Starr’s album “The Year I Turned 21” has amassed great engagements and positive reviews from local and international public figures.

However, one of the positive reviews that stood out was Nigeria’s global artist and Grammy winner, Wizkid, who posted a good review of Ayra’s new album despite commenting a month ago that he did not interact with artists under Don Jazzy (an influencer).

Don Jazzy quoted the tweet/post made by Wizkid with gratitude, which left many wondering if they had made up since the internet drama or if the hostility was ever just a ruse to gain engagements.