State governors across Nigeria are considering a proposal to raise the national minimum wage to N100,000 as part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising living costs on workers.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, disclosed this in a Facebook post on Saturday.
He said the proposal was prompted by increasing inflation, the high cost of living, and growing financial pressures facing workers across the country.
According to AbdulRazaq, state governments are currently holding discussions with the Federal Government and organised labour to develop a wage framework that addresses workers’ welfare while remaining financially sustainable for governments.
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“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
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He noted that consultations were still underway to ensure that any adjustment to the wage structure would not create an unsustainable financial burden for state governments.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances,” he stated.
AbdulRazaq explained that the ongoing negotiations are aimed at balancing improved purchasing power for workers with governments’ capacity to continue funding essential services and infrastructure projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain development projects that directly impact citizens,” he said.
He added that although workers deserve better pay, authorities must also take into account the financial realities facing state governments.
If approved, the proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to fuel further national debate on wages, inflation, and economic reforms, particularly as many Nigerians continue to struggle with rising food prices, transport costs, and other household expenses.
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Workers across the country have repeatedly argued that current salary levels are no longer sufficient to meet basic living needs under prevailing economic conditions.
Nigeria’s official minimum wage currently stands at N70,000 per month. However, some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are reportedly paying above the national minimum in a bid to ease economic pressures on workers.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress has continued to advocate for a broad review of workers’ salaries, maintaining that employees should earn a living wage that reflects current economic realities rather than one that merely supports survival.
