Prominent lawyer and rights activist, Femi Falana, has stated that all Nigerian states can afford to pay the new minimum wage, citing funds accrued from the removal of the fuel subsidy.
Appearing on Channels Television’s *The Morning Brief*, Falana asserted that any state that fails to comply will face legal action.
“There is no state in Nigeria today that cannot pay more than the minimum wage because the government removed the fuel subsidy last year. President Tinubu assured Nigerians that the funds from this policy would be utilized effectively,” Falana said. “Any state government or employer of labor that does not pay the national minimum wage will be taken to court. Our law firm, in collaboration with the labor unions, is committed to ensuring the law is upheld. We will seek court orders to deduct wages directly from the source in Abuja if necessary. This situation cannot continue.”
This statement follows the federal government’s agreement with organized labor regarding the payment of a new national minimum wage for workers.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), which had initiated an indefinite strike, called it off on Tuesday after negotiations and an agreement. The unions had demanded ₦464,000 as the new minimum wage, while the government proposed ₦60,000.
