By Anthony Otaru and David Lawani
Barely six months after the federal government and the Nigeria Labour Congress reached an agreement on paying Nigerian workers a minimum wage of N70,000, implementing the new government minimum wage policy has been controversial.
Late last year, organised labour threatened to embark on strike to pressure state governments, which were not forthcoming when they would commence the minimum wage as directed by the federal government.
The situation became worrisome in some states involved in the selective implementation of the new minimum wage.
Among others, Lagos, Rivers, Edo, Ogun, and Kogi started paying the new wage in 2024. Some other states, however, agreed to begin payment in 2025.
Recall that the Oyo State government announced that it had begun the payment of N80,000 minimum wage to workers.
*As Imo, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, FCT Workers to commence payment in January, uncertainty in Cross River, Ebonyi
While the governments of Imo, Sokoto, and Akwa Ibom states and FCT have set January as the end of the month for workers to receive their salary increase, workers in Ebonyi and Cross River states, among others, are not sure when their governments will commence the payment of the new wage.
This Nigeria check revealed that over 15 state governments had begun paying the minimum wage.
In contrast, some federal government workers started receiving theirs last November 2024, while others still await payments.
According to the former Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Alphonsus Okorafor, ‘some workers in government parastatals and agencies are yet to receive their payment without any just cause.’
Okorafor said, “I don’t know why civil servants in the agencies have yet to be paid; all I know is that workers in core ministries have been paid.”
“My appeal goes to the NLC and the federal government to do what is needed so that all would be paid; it is their right and entitlement,” he said.
Also contributing, the Director of Press and Public Relations, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Bawa Mokwa, told ThisNigeria that civil servants captured under the IPPIS had received the N70.000.00 minimum wage increase
Mokwa said, “The N70.000 minimum wage increase was computed in a way that most of us did not know. You know the N30,000 was the last minimum wage. Only N40.000 was added and worked out for the workers based on their levels.
Also, civil servants in both Voice of Nigeria (VoA) and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who did not want their names to be mentioned told ThisNigeria that they were yet to be paid the minimum wage
“Our minimum wage increase has yet to be reflected in our salaries. As we speak, NAN is yet to pay our January salary, much less the minimum wage, although they’ve promised us. We are waiting,” they said.
At the office of the Head of Service, a staff member (name withheld) informed ThisNigeria that she has been receiving the minimum wage increase since December 2024.
Another civil servant, Godwin Bello, has condemned the non-implementation of the government-approved wage, saying it is the worst thing a state government could have done.
Bello noted that it was a sad development that states that earlier agreed to pay the minimum wage suddenly find it difficult to comply, particularly now that hardship pervades virtually every aspect of our lives.
Ruth Ojeifo, a Youth Corp member serving in Abuja, noted that the increase in their monthly allowance from N33,000 to N77,000 is a positive development but stated that it still doesn’t address their peculiar needs.
She said, “Where can anyone use such an amount to rent an apartment in Abuja in a month? That is the reality we are facing. Things are expensive these days. If they start implementing it, I fear it won’t make any impact. Transport fare to and from my workplace is having a profound effect on my pockets.
“The federal government should strive to bring down the prices of food. I understand the insecurity behind why most communities cannot afford to go to the farm again. Farmers are being attacked and kidnapped by criminals.
“They pay heavily before they are released. Sometimes, they don’t come back alive. So, I am not so impressed with what the government is doing. President Tinubu should address this situation”, she stated.
On the issue of a 50 percent increase in telecommunications tariff, Okorafor said the government was right to have allowed the telecom companies to increase the tariff following the rate of inflation that has negatively impacted several businesses in the country.
“All should know that general infrastructure across the country is decaying. The removal of fuel subsidies is very damaging to the telecommunication sector.
The operators buy diesel at a higher cost to power their base stations. If they continue without a tariff increase, the sector may collapse.
However, Ojeifo opposes Okafor’s argument about tariff hikes by telecommunication outfits.
“The issue of telecoms tariff is so strange that it appears the regulators are exploiting Nigerians. Why would they want to increase tariffs when they know that the minimum wage, despite its increase, has not been reflected in Nigerians?
“The Federal Government can do better. The amount the Federal government, states, and LGAs received or shared among themselves should be enough to pay for the increased wages.”
