Six Governors ready to pay above ₦70,000 minimum wage

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s signing of the ₦70,000 minimum wage bill into law in July has generated mixed reactions across Nigeria.

The new wage, a 133% increase from the previous ₦30,000, was implemented to address the economic hardships impacting millions of citizens’ purchasing power. However, many states have been slow to adopt the change.

The Nigerian Governors Forum had earlier raised concerns about the ability of some states to afford the new wage requirement.

In a promising development, six state governors have stepped forward to implement the ₦70,000 minimum wage and pledge to pay salaries above the federally approved amount.

This commitment comes amid ongoing discussions on how to address the economic challenges facing the nation and improve the living standards of workers.

See the list below:

Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos)

Speaking on Channels Television on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that he will be paying ₦85,000 as new minimum wage for Lagos civil servants.

This is ₦15,000 higher than the ₦70,000 minimum wage bill signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in July.
“I am glad to let you know that the minimum wage for Lagos which we conversed and discussed with our union is ₦85,000 today,” the governor said.

“It is not a competition, so I am not going to say we are paying more than some other people, it is a function of affordability and it is a function of capacity, but we know too well that when people live in Lagos, Lagos has a premium in terms of even the cost of living, we are fully aware,” he added.

Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers)

Similarly, Fubara has approved ₦85,000 as new minimum wage for Rivers workers. The oil-rich state made this known in a statement on Friday, October 18, 2024.

Dapo Abiodun (Ogun)

Abiodun has also announced intention to pay Ogun workers ₦77,000 as minimum wage, according to a statement by Tokunbo Talabi, the secretary to the state government, on October 15, 2024.

Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo)

During his campaign kickoff ahead of the November election, Aiyedatiwa, on October 12, 2024, announced that he will pay ₦73,000 as minimum wage.

Ahmed Ododo (Kogi)

Ododo, on October 7, 2024, also approved ₦72,500 as minimum wage for Kogi workers. The governor also suspended the tax burden on the approved sum for one year.

Muhammad Yahaya (Gombe)

Yahaya, on October 15, 2024, signed an agreement with the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress to pay ₦71,500 as minimum wage.