The Nigerian Government has announced that many states, alongside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are expected to implement the new national minimum wage by January 2025.
This was disclosed by Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment, during a meeting with a delegation from the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCN) at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
The minister urged workers to exercise patience, noting that his ministry was still gathering data on states that have fully complied and those yet to meet the requirements.
According to Dingyadi, reports from workers indicate that while some states have adhered to the new minimum wage in full or partially, four or five states remain non-compliant.
Speaking on the FCT’s implementation timeline, the minister said:
“The FCT said it will comply with the new minimum wage in January. But your FCT chapter is saying that they want it done right now. I am not sure whether that is fair. Many states are going to do it in January. So, I don’t know why your FCT chapter is not accepting the same January.
“So, since you have raised this issue, we are going to look at the matter once again and see what could be done, particularly about the federal agencies you talked about. You have not given us the names. We can be better guided with a list of those who have not complied, to see what we can do.”
He further requested the union to provide a comprehensive list of non-compliant federal agencies to enable the ministry to take appropriate action.
Dingyadi acknowledged unresolved issues raised by the ASCN, including those involving the Office of the Accountant General and the Federal Civil Service Commission. He assured that these matters would be addressed thoroughly and resolved amicably.
The minister expressed his commitment to fostering peace and stability within the labour sector and encouraged union leaders to adopt peaceful methods by bringing concerns to the table for dialogue.
