Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed that the state will pay N85,000 minimum wage to its workers, which is N15,000 higher than the N70,000 approved by the Federal Government in July.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Wednesday evening during an interview on Channels TV themed “One-On-One with Babajide Sanwo-Olu.”
“You mentioned minimum wage and what I need to throw in for my people. I’m glad to let you know that the minimum wage for Lagos, which we’ve discussed with our union, is N85,000 today.
“It is not a competition. So I am not going to say we are paying more than some other people. It is a function of affordability and it is a function of capacity.
“But we know too well that when people live in Lagos, Lagos has a premium in terms of even the cost of living; we are fully aware.
“We actually increased salaries earlier in the year.
“I would like to come back to you in January to say I have been able to increase the minimum wage of Lagos to N100,000.
“Not because I want to make anybody look bad. It is really because I want my people to have a living wage.
“I want them to really be able to know that government is working for them,” Sanwo-Olu said.
In July, President Tinubu announced a new minimum wage of N70,000 for Nigerian workers, committing to review the national minimum wage law every three years.
This announcement came during a meeting with leaders from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the presidential villa in Abuja, attended by NLC President Joe Ajaero, TUC President Festus Osifo, and key federal ministers.
The increase in the minimum wage was driven by the severe cost of living crisis in Nigeria, exacerbated by the removal of the petrol subsidy and the devaluation of the Naira. Inflation has surged for 19 consecutive months, reaching a 28-year high of 34.19% in June 2024, with food inflation exceeding 40%.
President Tinubu emphasized that ongoing reforms in the energy and foreign exchange sectors are essential to prevent an economic collapse and ensure that future generations benefit from these changes.
