The Nigerian Senate has approved a bill to amend the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019, raising the minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000. The bill, submitted by President Bola Tinubu, was passed after going through its first, second, and third readings.
In addition to the wage increase, the Senate also approved a reduction in the review period for the National Minimum Wage from five years to three years. The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019,” aims to address economic challenges and respond to widespread demands for a higher minimum wage.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele of the APC, who led the debate on the bill, emphasized that the increase is in response to recent agitations and negotiations with organized labor. The new wage and shorter review period are expected to better reflect the current economic conditions and improve the welfare of workers in Nigeria.