Twelve Nigerian states have yet to implement the N30,000 minimum wage for teachers, four years after its approval. Read more about the affected states and teachers' demands for better pay. .mynerwslive
12 States Delay N30,000 Minimum Wage for Teachers – NUT Report
Twelve states in Nigeria have yet to implement the 2019 minimum wage of N30,000 for teachers, according to data from the National Union of Teachers (NUT). The report reveals that while some states have partially applied the minimum wage, full implementation for primary school teachers remains elusive.
Affected States
The states where teachers have not yet received the approved wage include Abia, Adamawa, Benue, Cross River, Gombe, Imo, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Bauchi, and Zamfara. Additionally, in Anambra, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Nasarawa, and Yobe, the minimum wage has been implemented for some, but not for primary school teachers.
In May 2024, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Zamfara accused the state government of paying teachers as little as N8,000 monthly, far below the approved minimum wage. Similarly, the Abia State government faced criticism for failing to apply the wage increase not only for teachers but for other state workers as well.
NUT’s Call for Action
NUT President Titus Amba expressed concern over the delay, emphasizing that the 2019 wage policy was intended to uplift the teaching profession. “It is worrisome to observe that four years after, most of the approvals have remained unimplemented,” Amba noted.
He highlighted the welfare packages announced by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020, aimed at enhancing teachers’ status and service delivery in Nigeria’s education sector. These incentives included:
- A special salary scale for teachers in Basic and Secondary Schools.
- Bursary awards for education students in universities and colleges.
- A special teachers’ pension scheme.
- Extension of retirement age and career path development for teachers.
Additional incentives promised include “low-cost housing for teachers in rural areas, loan facilities for agriculture and housing, and free tuition with automatic admission for teachers’ biological children.”
Call for Full Implementation
The NUT has urged both federal and state governments to expedite the full implementation of the minimum wage and the associated welfare benefits, emphasizing the need to “boost the morale of teachers in their professional duties.” The call comes as the teaching profession continues to struggle with low pay and unmet promises, affecting the quality of education across the country.
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