AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum(NGF), says the state governors are considering a new national minimum wage of N100,000 amid rising economic hardship in the country.
AbdulRazaq, who is the governor of Kwara State, made the disclosure in a Facebook post on Saturday.
He noted that the proposal was driven by inflation, the rising cost of living, and mounting financial pressure on Nigerian workers.
According to him, state governments are engaging the Federal Government and organised labour to agree on a wage structure that balances workers’ welfare with fiscal sustainability.
He said: “State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians.”
According to him, the neccessary consultations are ongoing to ensure that any new wage regime will not place excessive financial strain on states.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances,” AbdulRazaq said.
He explained that the discussions focused on striking a balance between enhancing workers’ purchasing power and preserving governments’ ability to deliver critical public services and infrastructure projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain development projects that directly impact citizens,” he said.
He noted that while workers deserved better remuneration, policymakers must also consider the fiscal realities confronting subnational governments.
Organised Labour has repeatedly expressed concerns that the current national minimum wage of N70,000 is no longer sufficient to meet basic household needs of workers.
