Governor’s Forum Says They Can’t Afford to Pay 60,000 as Minimum Wage

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has expressed its inability to afford a minimum wage of N60,000, stating that such a figure is unsustainable for state governments. In a statement released by the Acting Director of Media and Public Affairs, Hajiya Halima Ahmed, the NGF acknowledged the need for a new minimum wage but cautioned that the minimum wage negotiations involve consequential adjustments across all cadres, including pensioners.

The NGF emphasized that the N60,000 minimum wage proposal is not sustainable and cannot be implemented. They urged all parties involved, especially the labor unions, to consider the socioeconomic variables and settle for an agreement that is sustainable, durable, and fair to all segments of society that rely on public resources.

The governors’ position aligns with a previous statement by the Chairman of the NGF and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who stated that states will only agree to a minimum wage that is “affordable and sustainable.”