Minimum wage: List of states where workers get more pay than what FG pays

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The minimum wage had been a subject of debate immediately after President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the fuel subsidy during his inaugural speech
For months, the labour union were in negotiation with the federal government before reaching an N70,000 agreement for the new minimum wage, which was recently implemented
However, some governors have gone beyond what was agreed between the federal government and labour leaders to cater for the needs of workers in their states

The quest for a new minimum wage began immediately after President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the country's fuel subsidy. Tinubu had announced that "subsidy is gone" during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023.

After months of negotiation between the labour leaders and the federal government, N70,000 was agreed upon and recently signed into law as the new minimum wage. This increase applies to all employers with at least 50 employees and aims to improve the livelihoods of millions of workers and alleviate poverty.

Gombe, Ogun, Ondo and Edo governors have so far announced the implementation of minimum wage higher than what the Federal Government agreed with the labour leaders.

However, implementation remains a challenge, particularly for small businesses and state governments with limited budgets. Labour unions and advocacy groups continue to push for stricter enforcement and regular adjustments to keep pace with inflation.

Despite the concerns, some governors have announced the implementation of over N70,000 as minimum wage for workers in their state. Below is a list of those governors who made such an announcement recently:

Governor Yahaya of Gombe

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Governor Muhammad Yahaya of the Gombe state government recently reached an agreement to implement N71,000 new minimum wage.

It was learned that the development resulted from intense negotiations between the state government and the workers' union.

This was a surprising development, as there were concerns that the state would not be able to pay the new minimum wage the federal government had agreed to with the labour leaders.

Governor Abiodun to pay N77,000

Ogun state governor Dapo Abiodun recently announced the approval of ₦77,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the state.

After meeting with the union leaders, the governor announced that the new minimum wage would take effect immediately.

The meeting, led by Tokunbo Talabi, the secretary to the state government, aimed to discuss the implementation of the new minimum wage. Governor Abiodun initiated the meeting to address workers' welfare.

Ondo Governor Aiyedatiwa announces N73,000

Ondo state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has announced the implementation of N73,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the state

Aiyedatiwa, the APC candidate in the November 16 governorship election in Ondo, announced the development at the campaign's flag-off.

The governor highlighted his administration's achievements in improving the welfare of civil servants. He emphasized that the state government has paid workers' salaries regularly and provided training opportunities and promotion exercises.

Ododo to pay N72,500 to Kogi workers

Ahmed Ododo, the governor of Kogi state, was among the sub-governments that recently approved the payment of ₦72,500 minimum wage for workers in the state.

Governor Ododo's action followed the submission of the Minimum Wage Committee report on Monday, October 7.

The governor also announced that the payment of the newly approved minimum wage would commence in October.