Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State has announced his administration’s goal to eventually set a ₦1 million minimum wage for state civil servants. Speaking at the Government House in Minna on Friday, October 25, 2024, Bago outlined his plan to raise the minimum wage to ₦80,000 starting in November.
The decision followed an extensive discussion with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) leaders in the state. “This N80,000 is sustainable. We are sure that with our stride in agriculture, we can pay. We are creating a civil service farm so that civil servants can be productive. With that, we are sure that we can do ₦1 million as minimum wage,” he stated.
Bago affirmed that the new wage would be applied to civil servants across state and local government payrolls, noting that the October salary has already been distributed under the existing structure.
In response, NLC Chairman Idrees Lafene welcomed the announcement, acknowledging that the Governor had exceeded expectations. However, Lafene noted that even with the increase, the ₦80,000 wage doesn’t cover the high cost of living in Nigeria. “It is not commensurate with a bag of rice but at least, it is a step forward,” he said, pointing out that current inflation makes basic necessities challenging to afford.
This wage raise initiative demonstrates the Niger State government’s commitment to improving civil servants’ conditions, despite ongoing economic pressures, and is part of broader efforts to boost productivity and sustainability within the
