The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has announced that the new national minimum wage of N70,000 applies to all employers in the country, including the Federal Government, state and local governments, private sector, and individual employers.
According to the report on Monday, Akpabio made the statement during the signing ceremony of the Minimum Wage Act (Amendment) Bill into law by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
Akpabio said that the new minimum wage is a huge increase from the previous N30,000 and is a demonstration of the government's commitment to improving the welfare of Nigerian workers.
He noted that the new wage applies nationwide and is not limited to any particular sector or employer.
He said that he is happy that the new minimum wage is coming at this time under President Bola Tinubu, adding that Tinubu is a man who cares for Nigerian workers.
He said, "So, I think this is a great day for the workers in the country. We are not only doubling the minimum wage, but we have also added something on top. Initially, it was N30,000, now it is N70,000.
He said, "Like I said, this is minimum wage, not maximum wage. Any employer that has the capacity can pay as much as they want. But no Nigerian worker will offer services and be paid anything less than N70,000 from today."
The Senate President also addressed the planned protests in the country and urged the organizers to exercise their right to protest peacefully and avoid violence.
He attributed the current economic hardship to years of insecurity and praised President Tinubu's efforts to address the issue.
Speaking further, Akpabio appealed to the youth not to be misled by any group and warned that destruction of property would only harm the country.
He also announced that the bill to finance the new minimum wage has made serious progress and is expected to be signed into law by Wednesday.
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