The Senate has passed an amendment to the Minimum Wage Act, setting a new minimum wage of N70,000 for all workers in Nigeria, including domestic staff such as drivers, housemaids, and gatemen. This significant legislative change was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary session on Tuesday.
The amendment mandates that no employer, regardless of the industry, can pay their employees less than N70,000. This new wage floor applies universally, extending beyond government jobs to all sectors of the economy.
“The bill states that if you’re a tailor employing additional hands, you cannot pay them below N70,000,” Akpabio said. “Even if you’re a mother hiring a housemaid to look after your child, you cannot pay that housemaid below N70,000. This minimum wage applies to everyone.”
Akpabio urged all employers to prepare for the new wage structure, which will take effect once President Bola Tinubu signs the bill into law.
“I am very delighted that this has been passed, and I look forward to employers of labor improving on what has been set as a benchmark for all workers,” he said. “This is a significant victory for the Nigerian people.”
The National Assembly’s approval came after extensive negotiations between the federal government and organized labor. Initially, labor unions proposed a minimum wage of N495,000, which was later reduced to N250,000 before agreeing on the N70,000 figure after discussions with President Tinubu.
The new bill also shortens the wage review period from five years to three years, ensuring more frequent adjustments in response to economic changes.
The bill is expected to be signed by President Tinubu in the coming days, officially enacting it into law and marking a new chapter in labor rights and worker compensation in Nigeria.
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