The Federal Government has increased its offer of N54,000 to N57,000 in the ongoing new national minimum wage negotiation with organized Labour and Organised Private Sector, OPS.

The government's negotiating had Tuesday offered to pay a minimum wage of N54,000.

Vanguard gathered that the government team added N3,000 to its earlier offer to match the OPS offer after members of the team returned from a short break to consult.

Recall that the OPS had earlier today upped its offer to N57,000 from the initial N54,000 it presented during last week's meeting.

Organised Labour demanded for N615,000 stressing that it is based on the current economic reality, but the federal government rejected it.

This has led to the meetings to end in deadlock as both parties failed to compromise.

However, on Wednesday, in a bid to shift ground so as to ensure speedy conclusion of negotiation on new national Minimum Wage, the Organised Labour at the ongoing Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage meeting has reduced its demand from N615,000 to N500,000.

A source at the meeting told Vanguard that the government team is adamant about N54,000, complaining of non-availability of funds and the inability of the private sector to pay.

But the private sector has made additional N3,000 taking up its offer to N57,000 from the initial N54,000.

According to the source, "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."

The source further said, "Government is talking of non-availability of funds. They are also talking about the inability of the private sector to pay."

On Labour shifting of ground by the organised labour, the source said, "Labour has been requested to shift in response to the Government. They complied and came down to N500,000."