New Minimum Wage: 20 States Begin Payment to Workers - Report

• The new minimum wage of N70,000 was arrived at following a series of meetings between the organised labour, private sectors, and federal government representatives who made up the tripartite committee
• Several states said they would be paying a different amount from what the federal government offered
• A new report disclosed that already, about 20 states have already commenced paying their workers the new national minimum wage

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance.

FCT, Abuja - At least 20 states have either started paying the new minimum wage or will commence payment from this week.

The Nation stated this in a report on Monday, October 28.

Recall in mid-July 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved a significant increase in Nigeria’s minimum wage, raising it from N30,000 to N70,000. This adjustment was intended to address the rising costs of essentials such as food, transportation, and utilities, which had rendered the previous wage insufficient.

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Minimum Wage: FG sends message to govs not paying, full list emerges

Although the increase was a welcome development, its impact is tempered by the harsh reality of inflation.

The payment of the newly-agreed minimum wage of N70,000 was meant to have kicked off in April following the expiration of the old minimum wage of N30,000, signed into law in 2019 by Muhammadu Buhari.

Although many states have concluded talks with organised labour in Nigeria on the amount they will pay as the minimum wage, some are yet to finalise the procedure.

Read more on minimum wage:

• Governor Abiodun announces N77,000 minimum wage for Ogun workers, mentions when it'll take effect
• Kano's Abba Yusuf, other northern governors ready to pay N70,000 new minimum wage, full list emerges
• N70k minimum wage: Jigawa governor suspends top aide over unauthorised statement

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Minimum wage: Jubilation as prominent APC governed state approves N70,000, details emerge

Labour fumes as FG backdates payment

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Benson Upah, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), faulted the decision of the federal government to backdate the payment of the new minimum wage to July.

Upah described it as unacceptable.

In the same vein, the national vice president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Timmy Etim, criticised the government’s move.

Proofreading by James Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng