Lagos, Sept. 2, 2025 – The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) says state governments don’t have justification for not paying the N70,00 minimum wage.
Adewale Smatt-Oyerinde, its Director-General, made the remark while speaking on “Morning Show” programme on Arise Television on Tuesday.
He said the Federal Government had provided sufficient support for states to implement the wage increase, adding that the increased inflow of revenue from the federation account had reduced the argument about the inability of some states to pay.
“So, no state really has an excuse in the context of the current reality to stay at that ₦70,000, especially with people struggling with the price of petrol.
“While many states are still doing a lot with the CNG buses, we think more still needs to be done.
“A lot still needs to be done within the context of food security and shelter. Once you deal with that, the conversation would not really be about minimum wage because the quantum of that ₦70,000 will be able to buy enough for an average household.
“So, it’s not about the quantum, it’s about what exactly the ₦70,000 can buy.
“While we are not directly involved in the core, the real dynamics of the state, the socio-economic challenges that they have, it is important to also state that the workers, either in the public and private sector, are very key drivers of the economy of any state and a very key driver of even the private sector.
“And whatever will improve productivity will increase motivation, especially within the context of the reforms that we are ongoing.
“You know, if you are hungry, or if you’re not really composed, you’re hungry, you have issues with shelter, you have issues with transport, hardly would you be productive at work.
“So, if you see it from that perspective, you realise then it becomes important for you to address the issues that concern that engine.
“And that’s the perception of the private sector because the workers in the private sector are quite critical to productivity, critical to growth of the private sector, and that is the perception we have, that workers are important, then let’s treat them as the ILO said that workers are not commodities,” he said.
