17th October 2024
While a number of states are still foot dragging and other pledging to meet the N70,000 minimum wage for Nigerian workers as was approved by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024 with an increase from N30,000 to N70,000 few states have gone further and have committed to paying higher than the federal government mandated amount
Leading the pack of states that have announced plans to pay above N70,000 is Lagos State:
On October 16, 2024, in a live television programme, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced a new minimum wage of N85,000 for Lagos State workers, N15,000 above the federal government approved minimum.
The Governor cited the high cost of living in Lagos as a factor and expressed a goal to raise the minimum to N100,000 by January 2025.
Following the stead were the south west sister states of Ogun and Ondo states.
READ MORE; N70,000 minimum wage: Civil servants to shutdown defaulting states
While Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state on October 15, 2024 approved N77,000 as minimum wage according to a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, on October 12, 2024, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state, announced a minimum wage increase to N73,000 for state workers during his campaign kickoff ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
Other states that have also approved the minimum wage above the federal government mandate are Gombe State government and the Nigeria Labour Congress signed an agreement on October 14, 2024, to raise the minimum wage to N71,451.15. and Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, who approved N72,500 minimum wage for civil servants in the state with immediate effect.
Kogi state governor, also suspended the tax burden on the approved sum for one year.
However, several other states, including Anambra, Katsina, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Oyo, Borno, Osun, and Benue, have expressed readiness to adopt the N70,000 minimum wage while others like Jigawa, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa states, are yet to release their implementation notice.
