Workers express delay in the implementation of new minimum wage payment

With the N70,000 new National Minimum Wage Act signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on July 29, 2024, after a long-drawn negotiation with organised labour, most states of the federation are yet to begin implementation of the law.

Most states have only set up minimum wage implementation committees, whose reports are being awaited, except for Adamawa State, which has implemented the law by paying its workers the national wage this month.

Realistically, the failure of the federal authorities to develop a consequential adjustment template on which the new wage would be computed for full-scale implementation has further compounded the situation.

Even the organised labour has resolved to wait for the release of the adjustment modalities before any further negotiations with the state governments, according to a report by Leadership Weekend. The labour leaders revealed that as things stand, any negotiation without the template would be an exercise in futility.

They, therefore, appealed to the members to exercise patience and await the release of the modalities to ensure better negotiation outcome.

The chairman of the NLC, Sunny James, and the head of service, Elder Effiong Essien in separate interviews with, explained the reasons behind the implementation delay.

The NLC chairman said, “We have not started anything on the new minimum wage in Akwa Ibom, and my position is very simple: when there’s new minimum wage legislation, the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), in conjunction with the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), will have to meet and agree on consequential adjustment.

“We have N70,000 new minimum wage, so there has to be a consequential adjustment to make the salary table flow in a seamless manner. If you apply the 133 percentage uniformly, salaries of those on Level 14, and 15 will be very high.

“Akwa Ibom State governor will not complain that he cannot pay N70,000. And there’s no way we can collect anything less than N70,000 as the new minimum wage. We will not accept that. The governor has not also said that he will not pay.”

The head of service, Effiong Essien, on his part, disclosed that discussions would commence as soon as the federal government releases the circular on the consequential adjustment.

It looked to be seen how long the implementation committees set up by most of the states would file the reports for the full adoption of the new minimum wage act by the states.