Kaduna State governor begins payment of higher minimum wage

By Mark Ogagan

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has begun implementing the national minimum wage, refuting claims by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) that the state is in default.

In a statement released on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary, Malam Ibraheem Musa, the government clarified that the lowest-paid worker in Kaduna now earns a gross salary of ₦72,000, which was disbursed in November.

“His Excellency, Governor Uba Sani, has adhered to the National Minimum Wage Law by paying the lowest-paid civil servant ₦72,000 last month,” the statement affirmed.

“NLC is focusing on consequential adjustments, but they must understand there is a distinction between salary increments and minimum wage.”

Providing insight into the state’s finances, the statement revealed that Kaduna receives an average of ₦12 billion monthly**, with ₦8 billion from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and ₦4 billion from internally generated revenue.

The government urged the NLC to exercise patience regarding consequential adjustments, emphasizing that such measures would be addressed when the state’s revenue improves.