The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has said state governments should have no difficulty paying civil servants above the ₦70,000 minimum wage, citing increased revenue inflows from the Federation Account.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, NECA Director General Adewale Smatt-Oyerinde said the current economic realities and rising cost of living made it imperative for states to do more to support workers.
“No state really has an excuse to stay at ₦70,000, especially with people struggling with the price of petrol and food security challenges,” he said. “It’s not just about the figure but about what ₦70,000 can actually buy for an average household.”
Smatt-Oyerinde noted that better wages would ease the burden on workers, who he described as key drivers of both the public and private sectors. He urged governments to treat civil servants as the “engine” of the economy, warning that poor welfare undermines productivity.
President Bola Tinubu signed the ₦70,000 minimum wage bill into law in July 2024, but several states have since raised their pay levels beyond the national benchmark. These include Imo (₦104,000), Ebonyi (₦90,000), Lagos (₦85,000), and Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Bayelsa (₦80,000). Osun State approved ₦75,000.
