Nigerian workers have begun receiving the Federal Government’s newly approved N70,000 minimum wage, marking a significant shift in the country’s wage structure. This confirmation came on Thursday from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) spokesperson, Benson Upah, and the Deputy President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Tommy Etim, in separate statements.
Several federal employees also reported receiving alerts reflecting the new salary structure for September 2024. A civil servant working under the Office of the Head of Civil Service, speaking anonymously, confirmed receiving an additional N40,000 on top of his previous salary as part of the consequential adjustment. “I received the payment around 2 pm on Thursday and am hopeful that arrears will also be paid soon,” the source shared.
Benson Upah praised the Federal Government’s swift implementation of the new wage and encouraged private and public establishments nationwide to follow suit. “This is a great example set by the Federal Government, and we encourage all other entities to implement it without delay,” Upah stated.
Tommy Etim of TUC echoed these sentiments, urging that the template for consequential adjustments already provided by the FG should guide other institutions. He further emphasized that there should be no delay in complying with the new structure.
The new minimum wage of N70,000, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on July 18, 2024, represents a 100% increase from the previous N30,000, which was in effect under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. This wage hike comes amid rising inflation, with August 2024 figures showing headline inflation at 32.15% and food inflation peaking at 37.52%.
