*Nicaragua’s government led by President Daniel Ortega has announced a 4% rise in the minimum wage following a tripartite agreement between the government, private sector, and unions. The adjustment will take effect from 1 March until 28 February 2026, with the tripartite committee due to meet mid-February 2026 to agree on a new minimum wage increase. The government also announced that those employed in free zones would receive a 7% wage increase, which will take effect on 1 March and last until 31 December 2025. Nicaragua’s annual inflation closed 2024 at 2.84%. The Ortega government’s claims that the agreement was reached with the private sector comes despite the fact that in March 2023 the country’s most influential business lobby, Consejo Superior de la Empresa Privada (Cosep), was shuttered – one of thousands of organisations closed down by the government as part of its crackdown on dissent.
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