20 Governors Criticized for Withholding N70,000 Minimum Wage
About 20 governors are under fire for failing to implement the new ₦70,000 minimum wage for local government workers and primary school teachers, nine months after President Bola Tinubu signed the Minimum Wage Act into law.
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Haruna Kankara, listed affected states as Yobe, Gombe, Zamfara, Kaduna, Imo, Ebonyi, Cross River, Borno, FCT, and others. He revealed that while some states began paying state workers, LG employees and teachers remain excluded.
Kankara lamented that despite promises, several governors have yet to fulfill commitments, adding that the Central Bank has also not allowed LGs to open accounts for direct funding—stalling financial autonomy.
In Kwara, workers raised concerns over high taxation that has eroded wage gains, despite the new minimum wage being implemented since October 2024.
Meanwhile, some teachers across states like Zamfara, Yobe, and Taraba claim they have not even received the previous ₦30,000 wage, prompting repeated strikes, especially in the FCT, where primary school teachers recently protested unmet wage agreements.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers demanded full implementation, six months’ arrears, and additional allowances, accusing authorities of worsening the hardship of educators.
The delay is reportedly linked to resistance from state finance commissioners, according to the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria.
