Federal Government Starts N70,000 Minimum Wage Payments for 1.2 Million Civil Servants
Seven months after agreeing to a new N70,000 minimum wage, the Federal Government has begun paying the updated salaries, along with necessary adjustments, to over 1.2 million civil servants across various federal departments. According to News Correspondents, this September marks the first month of payment under the new wage structure.
A directive signed by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, authorized the payment, which covers workers across ministries, departments, agencies, and institutions like universities, the armed forces, and paramilitary units. Public servants can expect to see their adjusted salaries reflecting the newly approved rates, which vary depending on their grade levels.
For instance, employees at Grade Level 1 will now earn N930,000 per year, while the highest-ranking civil servants, at Grade Level 17, will make up to N6.9 million annually. This adjustment, introduced by the Committee on Consequential Adjustments, officially took effect on July 29, 2024, following President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the new minimum wage law.
Despite the approval, not all civil servants are satisfied. Some believe that the increase is too small to combat Nigeria’s current economic challenges. However, labor leaders from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have urged other sectors to follow the government’s example by implementing the new wage structure as soon as possible.
The government estimates that this new salary structure will cost N334.9 billion per month, translating to N4.02 trillion annually. Meanwhile, pensioners in the Southwest continue to demand a higher minimum wage of N250,000, citing rising fuel prices and worsening economic conditions.
In the private sector, concerns have been raised about the affordability of this new wage, with many businesses calling for government support to help them comply without cutting jobs.
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