Governor Godwin Obaseki today declared a minimum wage of N70,000. The announcement was made during the commissioning of the state’s new Labour House on Monday.
The wage hike, which will take effect from May 1st, 2024, marks a substantial increase from the previous minimum wage.
Governor Obaseki’s decision comes amidst ongoing discussions between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Federal Government regarding national wage adjustments to address rising inflation rates.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), inflation rates for March 2024 surged to 33.2 percent, with food inflation reaching 31.7 percent.
These figures have intensified calls from labour unions, including the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), who had proposed a minimum wage of N615,000 for Nigerian workers.
In response to these demands, President Bola Tinubu appointed a 37-member panel to review and recommend a new national minimum wage.
The panel, comprising representatives from federal and state governments, the private sector, and organised labour, was tasked with submitting its findings before the expiry of the current N30,000 minimum wage at the end of March 2024.
Governor Obaseki’s decision to implement a higher minimum wage in Edo State reflects ongoing efforts to address the economic challenges faced by workers amidst the backdrop of increasing inflation rates nationwide.
