Ahead of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) strike scheduled for Monday, December 1, 2024, several states have made last-minute efforts to meet the implementation deadline for the N70,000 minimum wage for workers. Currently, three states—Katsina, Cross River, and Zamfara—have yet to adopt the new wage, leaving their civil servants at risk of strike action.
The implementation of the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act has been mostly successful across the country, with 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) now in compliance. Some states have gone beyond the N70,000 minimum, with Lagos and Rivers offering the highest pay of N85,000, and Lagos announcing a future increase to up to N100,000 for workers starting in 2025.
However, the situation in Katsina, Zamfara, and Cross River is more contentious. In Cross River, after several failed meetings, workers have been urged to commence a two-day warning strike to push for the N70,000 wage, with a full strike planned if negotiations fail. Cross River Governor Bassey Otu had previously announced a wage of N40,000, citing the state’s financial constraints, a decision that has been met with disappointment from workers.
Similarly, in Katsina, negotiations are ongoing, but there is no final agreement yet on the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage. The state government has set up a committee to assess the situation, but reports suggest that no resolution has been reached as of Thursday, ahead of the deadline.
Meanwhile, Zamfara State, although not yet fully implemented, has also expressed commitment to the new wage, with a committee working out the logistics. Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration has reassured workers that the wage will be introduced once the modalities are finalized.
The NLC has made it clear that if the affected states fail to meet the deadline, the strike will proceed, signaling a tense stand-off between labour unions and state governments.