Amidst Nigeria's worsening economic conditions, organized labour unions and civil servants in 20 states have decried the prolonged delay by several governors in implementing the newly proposed N70,000 minimum wage. The situation has heightened hardship among workers, especially as inflation and cost of living continue to surge nationwide.
Investigations revealed that only a handful of states, such as Edo and Lagos, have adjusted wages in alignment with national calls for review. Meanwhile, many others are still stuck at the old N30,000 rate, with workers in some northern and southeastern states not even receiving full minimum wage payments. For instance, Zamfara only started paying the N30,000 wage in mid-2024, despite the federal government’s earlier approval of an upward review.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have issued repeated warnings and ultimatums to non-compliant states, insisting that failure to implement the new wage structure could trigger industrial actions. Labour leaders also criticized what they termed the “insensitivity” of governors who continue to allocate funds to luxury projects while neglecting worker welfare.
Many workers, particularly in Osun, Cross River, Plateau, and Taraba states, lamented that the delays were impacting their ability to pay for food, transportation, healthcare, and school fees. In some areas, there are reports of workers taking loans and salary advances just to survive.
Labour unions nationwide are now awaiting a federal government-led meeting with governors to formalize the new wage structure and create a unified national implementation plan.