Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has announced that the minimum wage for civil servants in the state is now ₦85,000.
Sanwo-Olu who made this declaration during an interview emphasized that this decision was made in consideration of the state’s affordability and capacity, as well as the higher cost of living in Lagos.
The governor clarified that increasing the minimum wage is not about competition, but rather ensuring that residents have a living wage.
Cyber Reporters reports that the Federal Government had previously approved a minimum wage of ₦70,000 for civil servants nationwide after negotiations with organized labor unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC.
Sanwo-Olu also mentioned that the state had already increased salaries earlier in the year and expressed his desire to further increase the minimum wage to ₦100,000 by January, prioritizing the well-being of Lagos residents.
This move aligns with Sanwo-Olu’s administration’s focus on workers’ welfare, as demonstrated during the May Day celebration, where he reaffirmed his commitment to implementing the new minimum wage approved by the Federal Government.
He said:
“I’m glad to let you know that the minimum wage for Lagos, which we have discussed with our union, is ₦85,000 today.
“It is not a competition. I am not going to say that we are paying more than some people, it is a function of affordability and capacity.
“We know too well that when people live in Lagos, Lagos has a premium in terms of the cost of living. We are fully aware.
“We also increased our salary earlier in the year. I will want to come back in January and say that I have been able to increase the minimum wage of Lagos to ₦100,000, not because I want to make anybody look bad, but because I want my people to have a living wage.”
