MTN tells Nigerian staff to observe nationwide strike

South Africa’s telecoms group MTN on Thursday told its staff in Nigeria to stay at home after the country’s main unions launched a nationwide strike to demand a higher minimum wage from the government.

Talks between the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the government to avert the strike broke down on Wednesday.

Unions want the government to almost triple the monthly minimum wage to around N50,000 naira from N18,000.

But the strike hasn’t crippled the economy yet with activities at the Abuja airport not slowing at all.

Normal activities were observed on Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Flight operations were smoothly ongoing at both the arrival and departure sections of the airports.

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NAN also observed that all major airlines were booking and boarding passengers with airport staff fully on ground for normal services.

Mr Abdulahi Saroke, Station Manager for Max Air, told NAN the strike had not affected flight operations in all airports, adding that he had received flights from Lagos and Kano and boarded passengers to those airports.

However, Saroke said he had heard the news that airports could be shut anytime to join the strike.