A planned increase in Nigeria’s minimum wage will not happen this September.
Chris Ngige, Nigeria’s minister of labour and employment, said his committee – established to look into the issue in 2017 – will only conclude its work in September. After the committee’s work has been completed, it will then have to go to the government for ‘deliberation and approval’.
This will be followed by an Executive Bill, which will be sent to the National Assembly for passage into law.
Yakubu Dogara, the House of Representatives’ speaker, had previously said, in a series of tweets shared on Workers’ Day, May 1, 2018, that he would ensure the bill got a speedy passage once approved.
He empathised with Nigerian workers, writing: “We see the struggles you go through to survive on wages that can barely last through the first week of the month.” He proceeded to commit to ensuring that the bill would be passed speedily, “I assure you that @nassnigeria will give expeditious passage to the minimum wage bill whenever it is transmitted by the Executive”.
Nigeria’s minimum wage – currently set at 18,000 Naira a month – has not risen since 2011.
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