A US report on Nigeria has said that the recent new minimum wage of N70,000 ($47.9) approved by the federal government for federal workers has been eroded by the devaluation of the Naira, which has risen to over N1,500/$1.
In the latest Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2024 by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, the US noted that upon that, firms with less than 25 workers did not benefit from the new wage.
“The law provided for a national minimum wage for public and private sector employers with 25 or more full-time employees, with exceptions for seasonal agricultural workers, part-time workers, those on commission, and some others.
“The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024 doubled the minimum wage to 70,000 naira ($47.90) per month. Despite the increase, currency devaluation meant the minimum wage was no longer higher than the poverty income level. Many employers had fewer than 25 employees, so most workers were not covered,” the report said.
Besides, it stated that some states have declined to implement the minimum wage law, citing financial constraints, with the law mandating a 40-hour workweek, two to four weeks of annual leave, and overtime and holiday pay, except for agricultural and domestic workers.
In the same vein, it stressed that the law did not define premium pay or overtime and prohibited excessive compulsory overtime for civilian government employees, stressing that the government rarely...
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