N70, 000 minimum wage no longer sustainable – NAFOHEADS

The National Forum of Heads of Federal Government Establishments in Nigeria (NAFOHEADS) says the N70,000 national minimum wage has lost its monetary value and no longer sustainable.

Mr Samuel Adekunle, Chairman, Osun state chapter of NAFOHEAS stated this on Wednesday in Osogbo during an inter-denominational service to mark the 2025 African Civil Service Week.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the event, Adekunle said high inflation and continuous increase in cost of living has eaten deep into the minimum wage.

He added that workers’ pains had deepened because of rising inflation, since the minimum wage was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024 and the implementation began in September of same year.

Adekunle, who is also the Curator, National Gallery of Arts, called on the government to implement a higher national minimum wage for workers in line with the present economic realities.

“The N70,000 minimum wage is not enough for workers in the country due to the escalation of cost of things in the country.

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“A new minimum wages should be weighed on the present economic realities in order to meet workers’ needs,’’ he said.

Speaking on the inter-denominational service, Adekunle said it was organised for workers in the state to seek God’s intervention in workers affairs and national development.

NAN reports that the civil service week has the theme. “Federal Civil Service and Sustainable Development in a developing Economy”