Minimum Wage: Presidency Dismisses N105,000 Reports as False

The Presidency has refuted claims that the Federal Government is proposing a new minimum wage of 105,000 naira.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, labeled the report as false and misleading. The confusion arose after a meeting at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, during which the cost implications of a new national minimum wage were discussed with President Bola Tinubu.

During the meeting, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, presented a detailed template outlining various financial scenarios and considerations for the implementation of a new minimum wage. However, no specific figure, including the 105,000 naira mentioned in the reports, was proposed or endorsed.

Onanuga emphasized that while the government is committed to reviewing and potentially increasing the minimum wage to better reflect the economic realities faced by Nigerian workers, any figures circulating in the media are speculative and premature. He assured that any decisions regarding the new minimum wage would be communicated through official channels following thorough consultations with relevant stakeholders, including labor unions and employers.

The clarification aims to prevent misinformation and manage public expectations as the government continues to work towards improving the welfare of Nigerian workers.