On Tuesday, September 2, 2025, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) declared that state governments have no excuse for not paying civil servants above the N70,000 minimum wage, citing increased federal allocations and the rising cost of living, as stated by Director-General Adewale Smatt-Oyerinde on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief (Web:4, Web:10). President Bola Tinubu signed the National Minimum Wage Act in July 2024, raising the wage from N30,000 to N70,000 after negotiations with labor unions and the private sector (Web:10, Web:16). NECA noted that Federation Account inflows, which rose by 27% to N1.43 trillion in June 2024 (NBS, 2024), eliminate financial excuses for states (Web:4, Web:8).
Some states have exceeded the benchmark: Imo approved N104,000 on August 27, 2025, Ebonyi set N90,000 a day later, Lagos adopted N85,000 in October 2024, and Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Bayelsa, and Niger set N80,000 (Web:4, Web:13, Web:20). However, 20 states have yet to implement the N70,000 minimum for local government workers and teachers, per the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (Web:7). Smatt-Oyerinde emphasized that the N70,000’s purchasing power is eroded by 34.19% inflation and rising petrol costs, urging focus on food security and shelter to enhance worker productivity (Web:4, Web:22). He stressed that civil servants are the “engine” of the economy, aligning with the International Labour Organisation’s view that workers are not commodities (Web:6). X posts from @NECA_NG (September 2, 2025) echoed the call, while @Naija_Activist noted 67% public support for wage increases but skepticism over implementation (Afrobarometer, 2025) (Post:3). Without broader action, NECA warns of declining worker morale and economic stagnation (Web:5).
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