Tinubu reportedly considers raising minimum wage to N200k, details emerge

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led federal government is reportedly considering raising the minimum wage from N30,000 to N200,000.

This is coming after organized labour in the country demanded a review of the minimum to N200,000.

As reported by Leadership, Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo has been asked to chair a Technical Working Group (TWG) after state governors called for caution at the last month’s National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.

It was gathered that the Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission made a presentation on how the federal government can pay the N200,000 per month minimum wage.

It was gathered that the Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission made a presentation on how the federal government can pay the N200,000 per month minimum wage.

According to Leadership, sources disclosed that President Tinubu is convinced that the N200,000 minimum wage is achievable based on his campaign promises.

Tinubu had said during Workers Day on May 1:

“In Nigeria, I shall have the honour and privilege to lead from May 29, workers will have more than a minimum wage. You will have a living wage to have a decent life and provide for your families.”

The Salaries & Wages Commission during the NEC meeting in June, was said to have revealed how the federal government can pay the proposed minimum wage

The state governors who make up the NEC membership, however, raised questions over the proposal.

Soludo argued that would be important for NEC to first understand where the money would come from, how much would come and what states would get.

How to raise the fund for the proposed minimum wage?

It was gathered that funds will be raised due to the new foreign exchange policy as more money will be available for sharing by the federal and state governments under the FAAC monthly distribution.

Savings from the fuel subsidy was also considered as part of the planning. A sub-committee led by Kebbi State governor, Nasir Idris was also formed to review the situation.

Idris with six other governors of Anambra, Benue, Kaduna, Bauchi, Cross River and Oyo states with each representing the six geopolitical zones.

The sub-committee has formed a Technical Working Group, TWG, with Governor Soludo as chairman to interrogate the issues around raising the minimum wage.

The TWG is to make it clear that both the federal and state governments and not just the federal government would be responsible for the payment of the new minimum wage.

The TWG is to make it clear that both the federal and state governments and not just the federal government would be responsible for the payment of the new minimum wage.

The Soludo-led TWG has resolved that negotiations with labour must be two-tracked between the federal government on one hand and the state governments in another hand.

The NEC is said to meet later this month to receive the report of the sub-committee and take a final decision on the national minimum wage which would then be forwarded to the president as an advisory.

It was further gathered that what is most likely is that at the very least federal government workers would be receiving the huge minimum wage increase, while the Soludo TWG would determine the fate of the state’s workers.