The National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Haruna Kankara, has revealed that around 20 states have not yet implemented the ₦70,000 minimum wage for local government workers and primary school teachers.
“We truly have the challenge of so many states, like about 20 that have not started implementing the new minimum wage,” Kankara said, listing states like Sokoto, Yobe, Gombe, Zamfara, Kaduna, Imo, Ebonyi, Cross River, and the FCT among the defaulters.
Kankara added that while some states have implemented the new wage for state workers, LG staff and teachers were excluded. “Some of them promised but failed to fulfil their promise but we are hoping that just very soon all of these would have been resolved.”
Kwara State began paying the ₦70,000 wage in October 2024, but workers say heavy taxation has eroded their earnings. “The heavy taxes imposed by the state government have greatly affected the take-home pay of our members,” said Kwara NULGE President Seun Oyinlade.
In Sokoto, a teacher, Abdullahi Umar, confirmed payment began in January. “We have been paid the new minimum wage with effect from January,” he said.
Despite this, some teachers in states like Yobe and Zamfara claim they never received the previous ₦30,000 minimum wage. “We appeal to the president to please intervene,” one Yobe teacher said.
In the FCT, frustration is mounting. A teacher lamented: “In FCT, not only teachers are involved but all other categories of LG workers… It is so unfair the way LG workers are being treated.”
Teachers in Abuja recently went on strike again after the ₦70,000 wage was not implemented. “The payment of February salary by the councils without recourse to the union and the New Minimum Wage is disturbing,” their union stated.
They are demanding immediate payment of the new wage, arrears, and allowances including a 40% peculiar allowance.
Meanwhile, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria blamed state finance commissioners for blocking direct allocations to councils, which has slowed wage implementation.
