As the December 1 deadline looms, several states in Nigeria are scrambling to implement the newly mandated N70,000 minimum wage for workers, hoping to avoid a potential strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Katsina, Cross River, and Zamfara remain the only states yet to officially approve the wage, despite recent efforts by other states, including Imo, to comply.
With 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) already onboard, the new wage has stirred both anticipation and tension in states still negotiating the terms.
Some, like Lagos and Rivers, have even exceeded the minimum, offering workers N85,000, with future plans for further increases.
Lagos, in particular, has set a promising precedent, announcing plans to raise wages to N100,000 by the first quarter of 2025.
Other states such as Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Oyo have agreed to N80,000, while states like Delta and Ogun have set their wages at N77,000.
However, the situation remains tense in Cross River, where the NLC has already launched a two-day warning strike. The workers are demanding the full implementation of the N70,000 wage, having grown disillusioned after Governor Bassey Otu’s announcement of N40,000 earlier this year, citing the state’s financial constraints.
The workers are now threatening an indefinite strike if their demands are not met, with labor leaders emphasizing that the warning strike is merely a precursor to more severe actions.
In response, the Cross River state government has set up a negotiating committee to resolve the impasse.
The government insists it is committed to implementing the N70,000 wage, acknowledging the national deadline but stressing the need for careful economic planning.
“We are working to ensure the payment of N70,000 or even more,” said Nsa Gill, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Otu.
Similarly, Katsina and Zamfara are under pressure to finalize agreements. Although committees have been established in both states, progress has been slow.
The Katsina government, led by Governor Dikko Umar Radda, is aware of the hardship faced by civil servants and has pledged to expedite the implementation. However, negotiations are still ongoing, and the deadline is fast approaching.
Zamfara’s government has expressed confidence that it will meet the deadline, with Senior Special Assistant to Governor Dauda Lawal, Mustafa Jafaru Kaura, confirming that the state has a committee working out the modalities.
Kaura assured workers that the governor is committed to paying the N70,000 wage, noting that the previous wage hike from N18,000 to N30,000 under Lawal’s administration demonstrated the governor’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare.
With the deadline just days away, the NLC remains steadfast in its demand for the full implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage across all states.
As negotiations continue in Katsina, Cross River, and Zamfara, workers across the country are watching closely, awaiting the final decisions that could determine whether the new year begins with labor unrest or the successful resolution of the wage dispute.