ABUJA: Several Nigerian states are making last-minute efforts to prevent a nationwide strike by workers on Monday, December 1, 2024. The states yet to implement the N70,000 minimum wage include Kastina, Cross River, and Zamfara. This follows Imo State’s approval of the wage increase on Tuesday, bringing the total number of compliant states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to 33.
In line with the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act, many states have agreed to pay workers beyond the N70,000 threshold. Notably, Lagos and Rivers states have pledged the highest monthly wages of N85,000. Additionally, workers in Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Oyo, and Niger will earn N80,000, while Delta and Ogun states have approved N77,000.
Other states including Ebonyi, Osun, Benue, and Kebbi have agreed to N75,000, while Ondo has set N73,000, and Kogi and Kaduna have opted for N72,000. Kano and Gombe have set their rates at N71,000. States such as Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Jigawa, Borno, Edo, Kwara, Nasarawa, Taraba, Ekiti, Bauchi, Yobe, Imo, Plateau, and the FCT will implement N70,000 monthly wages.
Despite warnings from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Cross River, Katsina, and Zamfara have yet to finalize the wage increase. In Cross River, the NLC has called for a two-day warning strike, starting November 24, in protest against the non-implementation of the N70,000 wage. The strike was prompted by the government’s delayed response and the controversial announcement of a N40,000 minimum wage by Governor Bassey Otu on May 1, citing the state’s economic challenges.
NLC’s Cross River Chairman, Gregory Ulayi, warned of an indefinite strike if the state government fails to meet the new wage demands. He emphasized that the warning strike was just a precursor to further action if the government does not engage in meaningful negotiations. Governor Otu’s press secretary, Nsa Gill, assured that the state was working on finalizing the new wage through ongoing negotiations.
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In Katsina State, despite forming a committee to facilitate the N70,000 wage implementation, is still in talks with labour unions. The committee, which includes key state officials and labour representatives, has not yet reached a conclusion. According to NLC sources, negotiations are ongoing, and the deadline for full implementation looms.
Zamfara State government has indicated it is nearing the final stages of approving the new wage. Mustafa Jafaru Kaura, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Dauda Lawal, confirmed that a committee has been working on the details of the N70,000 implementation. Kaura reassured that the Governor remains committed to ensuring the new wage is fully implemented, stressing that workers’ welfare is a top priority.
As the deadline for the N70,000 minimum wage approaches, workers in Cross River, Katsina, and Zamfara are closely watching for any last-minute changes. The implementation of the new wage is seen as crucial for avoiding labor unrest and ensuring fair compensation for state employees.
