The extended meeting between Nigeria’s 36 State Governors held from Wednesday into the early hours of Thursday has yielded significant outcomes. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) released details in a communiqué signed by Ahmed Salihu, Acting Director of Media, after the emergency session.
The governors have assured Nigerians and organized labour that negotiations for a new national minimum wage are progressing actively. They have committed to delivering a better wage structure from the ongoing discussions. This assurance follows the postponement of the minimum wage talks by the Federal Executive Council to allow broader consultations led by President Bola Tinubu.
Previously, the governors had rejected the Federal Government’s proposal of N62,000, citing concerns that some states would need to borrow to meet the salary demands. Organized labour continues to stand firm on their demand for a wage of N250,000.
The communiqué stated,
“The Forum received a presentation from the Minister of Women Affairs on the World Bank-Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up, emphasizing the importance of the project and the need for its implementation at the state level as initially conceived, given the states’ primary responsibility for the project.”
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The governors also acknowledged the Ministry of Women’s Affairs’ contributions to promoting gender equality, empowering women, and advancing social development across Nigeria.
Regarding the new National Minimum Wage, the governors reiterated their commitment to engage with key stakeholders for a mutually agreeable solution. “We remain dedicated to the process and assure that better wages will result from the ongoing negotiations,” the communiqué added.
The 36 state governors have underscored the significance of the World Bank-Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up and emphasized the necessity of state-level implementation as originally intended. The meeting also included discussions with the Acting Country Director of the World Bank, Mr. Taimur Samad, on various state-implemented programs.
Members expressed their willingness to continue supporting these programs to ensure their effectiveness nationwide. In addition, the governors received a briefing from Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, and pledged their support to ensure the successful implementation of these reforms.
