Niger yet to finalise plans for new minimum wage

The Niger State Government has announced that it has not yet finalized plans to implement the new national minimum wage of N70,000 for workers, amid the current economic challenges and rising prices of goods.

While reaffirming its commitment to the wage increase, the government stated that payment will begin “once the necessary template is finalized and sufficient funds are available.”

Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba made this statement during the elective congress of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Niger State chapter, as reported by Africa Independent Television.

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Garba noted that the matter of the minimum wage is already settled in principle and stressed the government’s support for organized labor, focusing on workers’ welfare and urging unions to collaborate with the administration for the state’s progress.

He also stressed the state’s commitment to improving the health sector, including the establishment of two dedicated ministries led by professionals, and addressed salary backlogs inherited from the previous administration, thereby reducing labor grievances.

In July, President Bola Tinubu approved a new minimum wage of N70,000 for Nigerian workers and signed the Minimum Wage Act into law on July 29.

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However, while some states have confirmed their readiness to implement the new wage, many others have yet to declare their stance.