BREAKING: Nigerian Governor Begins Payment of Higher Minimum Wage, Details Emerge

• Kaduna State has begun paying the national minimum wage, with the lowest-paid worker now earning ₦72,000 monthly
• The implementation raised the wage bill to ₦6.3 billion, leaving limited funds for development projects after loan repayments
• The government urged understanding on consequential adjustments, citing efforts to balance civil service needs with development for Kaduna’s 10 million residents

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has begun implementing the national minimum wage, refuting claims by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) that the state is in default.

In a statement released on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary, Malam Ibraheem Musa, the government clarified that the lowest-paid worker in Kaduna now earns a gross salary of ₦72,000, which was disbursed in November.

“His Excellency, Governor Uba Sani, has adhered to the National Minimum Wage Law by paying the lowest-paid civil servant ₦72,000 last month,” the statement affirmed.

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Malam Musa criticized the NLC for lumping Kaduna with non-compliant states, describing it as "grossly unfair," Daily Trust reported.

He explained:

“NLC is focusing on consequential adjustments, but they must understand there is a distinction between salary increments and minimum wage.”

Providing insight into the state’s finances, the statement revealed that Kaduna receives an average of ₦12 billion monthly**, with ₦8 billion from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and ₦4 billion from internally generated revenue.

“The monthly wage bill has increased from ₦5.4 billion to ₦6.3 billion following the implementation of the minimum wage.

"Additionally, the state deducts ₦4 billion monthly for loan repayments, leaving just ₦2 billion for developmental projects,” Musa explained.

He added:

“Spending over 90% of revenue on 84,827 civil servants, who represent just 1% of the state’s population of over 10 million, is unreasonable. The government must also provide for the majority who rely on these resources.”

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The government urged the NLC to exercise patience regarding consequential adjustments, emphasizing that such measures would be addressed when the state’s revenue improves, Vanguard reported.

Uzodimma approves new minimum wage

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Imo state governor Hope Uzodimma announced the approval of a new minimum wage for state workers, which was N70,000.

The decision, which reportedly followed extensive consultations with labour leaders, 'aimed to enhance the welfare of workers and pensioners across the state'.

Source: Legit.ng