Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has officially announced that the minimum wage for workers in the state will be set at N85,000.
This significant declaration was made during an interview on Channels TV entitled “One-On-One with Babajide Sanwo-Olu,” where the governor discussed the motivations behind this decision.
“I’m glad to let you know that the minimum wage for Lagos, which we’ve discussed with our union, is N85,000 today,” Sanwo-Olu stated. He emphasized that this decision is not about competition with other states but is rather “a function of affordability and a function of capacity.”
Looking ahead, Sanwo-Olu expressed his ambition to further increase the minimum wage, hinting at a potential rise to N100,000 in the near future.
“I would be glad to come on air in January 2025 to announce that my government would be paying N100,000 minimum wage,” he said, reinforcing his commitment to improving the living standards of Lagos residents.
“We actually increased our salary earlier in the year, and it’s deserving for our staff, and we’ll continue to do that. I want to come back to you in January and say that I’ve been able to increase the minimum wage in Lagos to N100,000. This is not because I want to make anybody look bad; it’s really because I want my people to have a living wage,” he added.
Governor Sanwo-Olu assured the public that his administration is dedicated to ensuring that “their government is working for them.”
He acknowledged the financial challenges faced by workers and highlighted the importance of responsible governance.
“We’ll ensure that we tighten areas where serious expenses are not needed, so that we’ll be able to give them (the workers) commensurate things that will take them home, not drop them at the bus stop,” he explained.
This announcement comes at a time when negotiations are ongoing between state governments and organized labor regarding the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government.