The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that the state’s workers will receive a minimum wage of N85,000, which is N15,000 higher than the N70,000 approved by the Nigerian Government.
Early in July, Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage bill into law, marking the end of extensive debates between the Nigerian Government, labour unions and the private sector.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Sanwo-Olu emphasised that the state’s decision to pay N85,000 is not intended to surpass others but rather to reflect the state’s capability to do so.
“I am glad to let you know that the minimum wage for Lagos which we conversed and discussed with our union is N85,000 today,” Sanwo-Olu said on the programme.
“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.”
Sanwolu expressed his wish to increase workers’ salaries to N100,000 in January 2025. He mentioned that the state had increased the salary earlier in the year.
“We actually increased salaries earlier in the year and deserving so for our staff and we will continue to do that.
“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,” he said.