Minimum Wage Debate Continues: Lagos Leads with N85,000 Proposal

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced plans to set a higher minimum wage for workers in the state, raising it to N85,000. This announcement was made during an interview hosted by Channels Television, entitled ‘One-On-One with Babajide Sanwo-Olu’. During the interview, the governor expressed his administration’s commitment to providing a living wage that can truly support workers, emphasizing, “It’s not a competition, so I’m not going to say that we’re paying more than some other people; it’s a function of affordability and a function of capacity.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu assured that the increase is part of a broader strategy to enhance the welfare of civil servants in Lagos. He mentioned plans for further increases, indicating that by January 2025, workers could expect the minimum wage to be raised to N100,000. The governor’s rationale for this initiative stems from a desire to ensure that the government is genuinely working to improve the lives of its citizens, stating, “It’s really because I want my people to have a living wage.” He also pointed out that meticulous budget management is necessary to achieve these wage adjustments.

This development in Lagos comes amid an ongoing debate across Nigeria concerning the implementation of the recently approved N70,000 national minimum wage. The federal government’s directive has triggered reactions among state governments, some of which have voiced their readiness and others expressing concerns over implementation due to financial constraints.

In a related move, states like Oyo, Ogun, and Gombe have also announced changes to their minimum wage structures. The Ogun State Government has set a minimum wage of N77,000 following negotiations with labour unions, while Oyo plans to follow the federal guideline of N70,000 once additional salary adjustments are arranged.

Elsewhere in Nigeria, governors such as Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Ahmed Ododo of Kogi have expressed their administrations’ willingness to proceed with the wage adjustment, albeit with some proceeding at different rates or implementing additional changes specific to their state’s fiscal capabilities.

Punch Newspaper notes that as of now, the minimum wage implementations have yielded a diverse range of plans and promises from various state governments, reflecting the economic variations and fiscal capabilities across Nigeria’s regions.