Afe Babalola approves N77,000 minimum wage for ABUAD workers

The Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, has approved N77,000 as the minimum wage for the staff of the institution, effective November 2024.

The Vice Chancellor of ABUAD, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, disclosed this yesterday during the presentation of the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 ABUAD Staff Assessment and Performance Evaluation Review (SAPER) Report at the 15th-anniversary celebration of the institution’s academic activities.

Professor Olarinde revealed that a total of 452 staff members across various colleges were assessed during the review period, including 40 professors and 46 readers who were recommended for external assessment.

The Vice Chancellor commended Babalola for his generosity, noting that he ensured the payment of the 2024 annual leave bonus and provided Christmas gifts for all staff members.

“In November 2024, after the Federal Government announced a minimum wage of N70,000.00, the Founder made the decision to exceed this by adding an additional 10%, raising the minimum wage for ABUAD staff to N77,000.00, surpassing the Federal Government’s proposed minimum wage,” she said.

“To cap it all, the Founder ensured payment of the annual leave bonus for 2024 and made available the annual Christmas gift to all staff members. This generous decision, following the earlier salary adjustment, demonstrates the Founder’s deep commitment to the wellbeing of every staff member of ABUAD.”

On the assessment process, Professor Olarinde explained that the SAPER is a structured system designed to evaluate staff contributions, recognise strengths, identify areas for improvement, and foster career growth.

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“Established under the Founder/Chancellor’s leadership, it supports promotions, salary increments, and staff motivation to enhance productivity despite economic challenges. To streamline the process, assessment forms were redesigned using Google Docs for easier accessibility and submission.

“Completed forms were reviewed by department/unit heads and forwarded to the A&P board for consideration. Recommendations were then sent to the ABUAD A&P Committee, led by the Vice Chancellor. Final decisions on promotions, increments, and bonuses were approved by the Founder/Chancellor,” she explained.