The Nigerian Federal Government recently called on state governors who haven’t yet implemented the new minimum wage of N70,000 to prioritize fair pay for their workers. This message was delivered by Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja. Akume emphasized the federal government’s commitment to ensuring that workers receive fair compensation.
Upon taking office, President Tinubu focused on updating the minimum wage. He quickly set up a special committee, bringing together representatives from the federal government, state governors, and the private sector to agree on a fair wage. This effort led to the approval of a new N70,000 minimum wage to support workers better.
Some states have already implemented the increase, with a few even offering more than the approved amount. States currently paying the new wage include Ogun, Ekiti, Sokoto, Kebbi, Osun, Enugu, Borno, Zamfara, Kogi, Kwara, Gombe, Kano, Taraba, Delta, Rivers, Jigawa, Abia, Edo, Lagos, Adamawa, and Akwa Ibom. Akume commended these states and encouraged those lagging to start paying the new wage promptly.
He said, “The issue of the new minimum wage has always been central to the thinking of the government of President Bola Tinubu, and that was why he quickly put in place a tripartite arrangement to look at all the issues, and this was properly carried out.
“The governors were represented, the federal government was represented, the organised private sector was also part of it. So we arrived at the new minimum wage.
“We are very satisfied with it and some state governments have started implementing. Others have even gone beyond N70,000. So I believe that there’s no problem with that whatsoever.
“We applaud those who have started. Those who have not started, we just want to appeal to them to start the payment”, he further said.
The government believes fair wages are essential for the well-being of workers and the country’s overall development. As Akume pointed out, prompt implementation of the new wage standard is crucial to ensure all Nigerian workers benefit from this change.
