New minimum wage for all Nigerian workers

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, announced on Monday that the new national minimum wage applies to the entire nation.

Akpabio made this remark during the signing ceremony of the Minimum Wage Act (Amendment) Bill into law by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.

He stated that the new national minimum wage applies to the Federal Government, state and local governments, the private sector, and even individual employers.

“So, I think this is a great day for the workers in the country. We are not only doubling the minimum wage, but we have also added something on top. Initially, it was N30,000; now it is N70,000.

“Like I said, this is minimum, not maximum. Any employer that has the capacity can pay as much as they want. But no Nigerian worker will offer services and be paid anything less than N70,000 from today.

“That is the implication of this act. It applies all over the nation. And we are excited that this is happening at a time like this through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man who cares for Nigerian workers,” he said.

He mentioned that the entirety of the National Assembly moved quickly and passed the bill in one day out of excitement.

“We felt that this was not something we could delay. So, I think the workers are happy. I want to use this opportunity to call on those who are attempting to foment trouble; you have a right to protest. It is your fundamental right. It is there in the constitution.

“But you don’t have a right to destabilise the country. The right to protest should not be turned into the right to unleash violence. It’s clear that people behind this are very amorphous, very faceless,” said Akpabio.

He asserted that the current hardship experienced by Nigerians was not caused by the Tinubu administration, which is just one year old.

“It is the outcome of years of insecurity. Many people could not go to farms for almost 10 years, and the President has risen to the occasion.

“Every food item that is coming in now will come in without any restrictions; bring in food because Nigerians need to eat. And at the same time, most things are coming in with a lot of waivers.

“So, for me, I’m excited that, yes, indeed, the government is doing what it should. And we, the leaders in the National Assembly, are touching our various constituencies,” he said.
He appealed to the youth not to allow any group to mislead them politically, noting that the destruction of any property would cost Nigeria money.

He mentioned that the bill to finance the new minimum wage had progressed significantly, and he expected it to be signed into law by Wednesday.

The House leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, who represented the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said the President’s signing into law of the minimum wage bill showed that he cared about the Nigerian people.

“So, I think this movement from N30,000 to N70,000 and reducing the negotiation period from five to three years is a clear demonstration of a commitment to redirect, refocus, and reposition Nigeria for greatness,” he said.

President Tinubu had on July 18 increased the Federal Government’s offer on the national minimum wage from N62,000 to N70,000, with an assurance that it would be reviewed after three years instead of five years.

The Federal Executive Council mandated the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to prepare a bill to amend the 2024 Budget.

A week later, Tinubu wrote the Senate requesting it to amend the 2024 Appropriation Act and the 2023 Finance Act by increasing the budget by ₦6.2tn.

Tinubu’s letter was addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and read at plenary. The President said the move was under Section 58, sub-section two of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

The Senate approved the ₦6.2tn amendment to the 2024 Appropriation Act, raising the year’s national budget from ₦28.7tn to ₦35.055tn.