Current news on nigeria national minimum wage

Here are some current news updates on the Nigerian National Minimum Wage:

Latest Development:

• On April 18, 2022, the Nigerian Senate passed the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which seeks to increase the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N40,000 per month. The bill was passed after a clause-by-clause consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Labour (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/514344-senate-passes-bill-to-increase-minimum-wage-to-n40-000.html).
• On April 20, 2022, the House of Representatives also passed the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which seeks to increase the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N40,000 per month. The bill was passed after a clause-by-clause consideration of the report of the House Committee on Labour (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/04/house-passes-bill-to-increase-minimum-wage-to-n40-000-per-month/).

Background:

• In April 2019, the Nigerian government signed the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019, which increased the national minimum wage from N18,000 to N30,000 per month.
• In 2020, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) demanded a review of the national minimum wage, citing the high cost of living in the country and the need to ensure a decent standard of living for workers.
• In 2021, the Nigerian government set up a committee to review the national minimum wage, which recommended an increase to N40,000 per month.

Key Issues:

• The main issue is the need to increase the national minimum wage to reflect the current cost of living in Nigeria and to ensure a decent standard of living for workers.
• Another issue is the implementation of the new minimum wage, as some states have not implemented the N30,000 minimum wage since its introduction in 2019.
• There are also concerns about the impact of the new minimum wage on the economy, particularly on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that may struggle to absorb the increased costs.

Quotes:

• "The increase in the minimum wage is long overdue. We believe that N40,000 is a reasonable amount that will enable workers to live decently and contribute to the growth of the economy." - Ayuba Wabba, President, Nigerian Labour Congress (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/514344-senate-passes-bill-to-increase-minimum-wage-to-n40-000.html).
• "We are pleased that the Senate has passed the bill to increase the minimum wage. We hope that the House of Representatives will also pass the bill and that the President will sign it into law." - Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/04/house-passes-bill-to-increase-minimum-wage-to-n40-000-per-month/).

Please note that the information provided is current as of April 2022 and may change as new developments occur.