Minimum Wage Debate: State Governors Cap at ₦‎70,000

Nigerian state governors have declared they will not consider a minimum wage higher than ₦70,000, it was revealed last night.

During a meeting held in Abuja, the governors assessed the current economic landscape and concluded that any minimum wage above ₦70,000 would be neither affordable nor sustainable for the states.

Sources at the meeting disclosed that the governors, convening under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), deliberated on wage proposals ranging from ₦60,000, previously offered to Labour by the Federal Government, to ₦70,000, which is already being implemented by the Edo State Government.

Failing to reach a consensus on a uniform minimum wage, the governors appointed a committee led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma to further examine the issue. Uzodimma also chairs the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), which includes governors elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governors’ stance aligns with an earlier statement by NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who emphasized that states would only agree to a minimum wage that is both “affordable and sustainable.”

A source from the meeting remarked, “After extensive deliberation on the minimum wage, we considered options between ₦60,000 and ₦70,000 per month but could not finalize a specific rate for all states. Consequently, a committee led by Governor Uzodimma was tasked with reviewing all submissions and making recommendations.”

The NGF is expected to reconvene soon to evaluate the committee’s findings.

The source further clarified, “No state can manage a ₦105,000 minimum wage. This benchmark is off the table. Available data shows some states are still paying ₦7,000 others ₦18,000 because they cannot afford the ₦30,000 minimum wage instituted in 2019. Currently, only one state has adopted a ₦70,000 minimum wage.”