The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has assured Nigerians and organized labour that negotiations are ongoing to reach a mutually acceptable solution on the new national minimum wage. This comes after the Federal Executive Council postponed the minimum wage discussion to allow President Bola Tinubu to conduct broader consultations.
The governors, who had previously rejected the Federal Government’s proposal of N62,000, citing difficulties in paying salaries, reiterated their commitment to the process and assured that better wages will result from the ongoing negotiations. Organized labour continues to demand a wage of N250,000.
In a communiqué released after an emergency meeting, the NGF also discussed various issues impacting the nation, including the World Bank-Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up and other programmes being implemented in the states. The governors emphasized the importance of implementing the project at the state level as originally intended, given that the states are the primary entities responsible for the project.
The NGF also received briefings from the Minister of Women Affairs and the Acting Country Director of the World Bank, and pledged their support for the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee to ensure the successful implementation of fiscal policy and tax reforms.
Overall, the governors remain committed to engaging with key stakeholders to reach a mutually acceptable solution on the minimum wage and other issues affecting the nation.