The Federal Government has announced that payments for the new minimum wage will begin on July 29, 2024, following President Bola Tinubu’s approval.
This decision was shared by the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC) during a press briefing. The new start date differs from an earlier statement by the Minister of State for Labour, who had said it would begin in May 2024.
The government will only pay two months of back pay if the wage increase is implemented by the end of October.
The decision to set the wage’s start date in July has upset labor groups, including the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.
They believe the delay is unfair to workers, as many had expected payments to begin in May, following the Minister of Labour’s earlier announcement.
Despite the criticism, the NSIWC explained that July 29 was the date President Tinubu officially signed the new wage bill into law.
Additionally, the government has revised several salary structures for public service workers, including researchers, medical staff, and law enforcement.
The NSIWC assured that guidelines will be provided to clarify how other groups, such as pensioners and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, will benefit from the new wage.