Tinubu okays ICT as side hustle for civil servants to earn ‘alternate income’

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has granted approval for Civil Servants to engage in information and communication technology (ICT) services as “alternate sources of income” in addition to agriculture.

The Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage (TCNMW), the 37-man team set up to negotiate a new minimum wage for workers in Nigeria, disclosed this in a statement issued by its Secretariat and released on social media platform, X, by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu.

The Committee, while underscoring efforts being made by the Federal Government to cushion the negative impact of the Tinubu’s administration on Nigerian workers, disclosed that ICT services have been added to agriculture as side hustles allowed for Civil Servants.

Two people seen in this AI-generated image holding a tablet PC as President Bola Tinubu’s administration has granted approval for Civil Servants to engage in information and communication technology (ICT) services as “alternate sources of income” in addition to agriculture. Image credit: Gencraft.

“In addition to the freedom of Civil Servants to engage in agriculture, Federal Government has approved the inclusion of ICT services for alternate sources of income,” the Committee said in the statement seen by Technology Times .

The Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage (TCNMW).

“In addition to the freedom of Civil Servants to engage in agriculture, Federal Government has approved the inclusion of ICT services for alternate sources of income,” the Committee said in the statement seen by Technology Times .

The Committee issued the statement ahead of the nationwide strike action commenced today by the Nigerian Labour Congress over breakdown of talks on the new national minimum wage for workers in the country.

“At the last meeting on Tuesday 28 May, 2024, all tripartite partners were invited to make their offers. Employers made up of Government side and Organised Private Sector made offers of N60,000.00 per month which is 100% increase on the existing National Minimum Wage of 2019. On their part, the Organised Labour made an offer of N494,000 per month, which is an increase of 1,547% on the existing National Minimum Wage of 2019”, the statement by the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage read.

During the course of the meeting, the Committee said, “organised labour left the meeting to continue further consultations before they shifted grounds again. These decisions were arrived at at the meeting with full attendance including the personal attendance of the Hon. Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Hon. Minister of Budget and National Planning as well as Hon. Minister of Labour & Employment. The meeting was later adjourned till Monday, 3rd June 2024.

However, after the Chairman reached out to Organised Labour, they agreed to hold the meeting on Friday, 31st June 2024. Notices were sent to all members.”

It goes further thus: “At the meeting Organised Labour when called upon to make their concession, or new offers outside of the last N494,000 per month, insisted on the employers to first shift grounds. Both sides stated that their offers of N60,000.00 per month, which is 100% increase on the existing National Minimum Wage of 2019, were based on prevailing economic considerations and government's non-monetary incentives.”

Thereafter, the statement said that “organised labour walked out of the meeting. During the continuation of the meeting the Government further defended their offer of N60,000.00 per month, was based on economic considerations and non-monetary incentives which include the following:

1. N35,000 wage award for all treasury-paid Federal workers.

2. 100 billion naira for the procurement of CNG-fuelled buses and CNG conversion kits.

3. 125-billion-naira conditional grant and financial inclusion to MSMEs.

4. N25,000 each to be shared to 15 million households for 3 months.

5. 185 billion palliatives (loans to States) to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

6. 200 billion naira to support the cultivation of hectares of land to boost food production.

7. 75 billion naira to strengthen the manufacturing sector.

8. 1 trillion naira for student loans for higher education.

9. Release of 42,000 metric tons of grains from strategic reserves.

10. Purchase and onward distribution of 60,000 metric tons of Rice from the rice millers association.

11. Recent salary increase of 25-35 per cent on all consolidated Salary structures for federal workers.

12. 90% subsidy on health costs for Federal Civil Servants registered on NHIS.

13. Light rail commissioned in Abuja to relieve transportation cost till the end of the year. Lagos State had already commence same initiative with their Blue and Red lines.

14. In addition to the freedom of Civil Servants to engage in agriculture, Federal Government has approved the inclusion of ICT services for alternate sources of income.

According to the Committee, “the meeting agreed that even where major and small businesses are closing down with consequent loss of jobs, the outcome of a new National Minimum Wage should be such that it will not trigger further massive job losses. It further noted that linking the strike to electricity hikes with the NMW determination was not fair to the negotiating parties.”