Following the passage of the 2024 National Minimum Wage Amendment Act Bill by the National Assembly, labour unions in Nigeria have vowed to engage state governments to ensure the implementation of the new N70,000 minimum wage, as the Trade Union Congress warns states against delay.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have expressed delight over the swift passage of the bill, which replaces the National Minimum Wage Act, No. 8, 2019, and approves N70,000 as the new monthly national minimum wage.
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The bill was passed by the Senate and House of Representatives on Tuesday after President Bola Tinubu transmitted the new wage bill to both chambers of the National Assembly.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said, “We are delighted by the gesture of the Senate because it suggests sensitivity to the plight of our members. The 2019 law expired in April 2024. This means we are already in arrears. The states should not only obey the law to the hilt but timeously too.”
The TUC National Vice President, Tommy Etim, warned states against delay, saying, “We are happy that the Senate was able to pass the National Minimum Wage Bill promptly. It’s now for the President to sign it into law and for the implementation to commence immediately. Moreover, the states should not delay in the implementation because of the socioeconomic challenges and the need to address hunger in the land.”
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Some state governments, including Ekiti and Osun, have pledged to pay the new minimum wage. Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, said, “On minimum wage, once it becomes law, when the President signs it into law, all will be well. The only thing I know, I am here to serve you. Let us wait, at the appropriate time, all will be well.”
Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said, “We will pay, but if the Federal Government is willing to give us more money, we will definitely be interested in collecting it. It is a question of law. Once they say an amount is the minimum wage and it is backed up by law, it is not negotiable.”
