The United States government has warned that Nigeria’s new national minimum wage of 70,000 naira is insufficient to lift citizens out of poverty, given the country’s worsening economic conditions.
In its 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released on 12 August, the US Department of State noted that the wage is equivalent to about 47 dollars a month at the current exchange rate of over 1,500 naira to the dollar, and has been eroded by the depreciation of the naira.
Also Read: Shettima Inaugurates Minimum Wage Committee
The report observed that enforcement of the new wage remains weak, with many state governments refusing to implement the law due to financial constraints. It also highlighted that the law applies only to firms with at least 25 full-time employees, leaving part-time, seasonal, and informal workers excluded.
According to the assessment, between 70 and 80 percent of Nigeria’s workforce operates in the informal sector where labour laws are largely unenforced. It further noted that the number of labour inspectors in the country is inadequate, exposing millions of workers to exploitation.
Leave feedback about this
You must be logged in to post a comment.