ABUJA — The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has revealed that 20 states, including Yobe, Imo, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have failed to implement the N70,000 minimum wage for local government workers and primary school teachers, seven months after President Bola Tinubu signed it into law.
NULGE National President Alhaji Haruna Kankara told The PUNCH on Sunday: “We truly have the challenge of so many states, like about 20 that have not started implementing the new minimum wage.” He listed Sokoto, Zamfara, and Borno among defaulters, noting that some states selectively paid state workers while excluding LG staff.
The delay compounds existing grievances, as data shows teachers in 14 states—including Zamfara, Taraba, and Benue—are still unpaid the 2019 N30,000 wage. “How can someone who didn’t even enjoy N30,000 talk of N70,000?” a Yobe teacher lamented anonymously.
In Kwara, where implementation began in October 2024, heavy taxation has eroded gains. NULGE’s state president, Seun Oyinlade, disclosed: “The heavy taxes imposed by the state government have greatly affected the take-home pay.”
Meanwhile, FCT teachers have staged four strikes since December 2024 over unpaid wages. An FCT teacher decried “unfair treatment,” while NULGE criticized the Central Bank for delaying LG autonomy measures.
With states like Sokoto only recently complying, NULGE warns of escalating unrest unless all governments “do the needful.”