The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has announced the immediate implementation of a new minimum wage of ₦70,000 for all administration staff.
This decision, confirmed in a statement by Anthony Odeh, the Press Secretary to the Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, was made public on Tuesday.
This wage adjustment follows President Bola Tinubu's signing of the Minimum Wage Bill into law in May 2024, which set the new minimum wage after extensive negotiations with labor organizations. The announcement comes at a critical time, as the FCT Chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress had threatened to initiate a nationwide strike on November 30, 2024.
The unions expressed discontent over the slow implementation of the minimum wage across various states, including the FCT, and criticized Wike's administration for not engaging with them since his inauguration in August 2023.
In an effort to alleviate workers' challenges under the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Wike has also approved the payment of three months’ arrears for all staff starting from November 2024.
Grace Adayilo, the Acting Head of Civil Service for the FCT, highlighted that this move is designed to motivate staff support for Wike's initiatives aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
