Employers in the private sector have received a strong warning from the federal government, emphasizing that underpaying employees could result in jail time. The new minimum wage of N70,000.
The minimum wage is now a legal requirement, according to Kachollom Daju, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, who was speaking at the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria’s 13th Annual General Meeting in Ikeja, Lagos. Nyamali, Director of Employment and Wages, was in attendance.
“The minimum wage is now a law, and as a result, it is a punishable crime for any employer to pay less than N70,000 to any of its workers. Emphasizing the necessity of the updated wage to address current economic conditions, the government asserted that no Nigerian worker, whether in public or private employment, should earn less than this minimum.”
“The private employment agencies should make it compulsory in any contract they take from their principal that their workers should not earn less than the minimum wage. The least paid worker in Nigeria should earn N70,000, and I think that should be after all deductions.”
“The minimum wage is a law, and you can be jailed if you fail to implement it. The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that the least paid worker goes home with N70,000,” she disclosed.”
In response to the government’s directive, Dr. Olufemi Ogunlowo, President of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria, urged the government and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to clarify whether the N70,000 minimum wage applies net or gross.
“We are already committed to the minimum wage and providing decent jobs for Nigerians while preventing the exploitation of human resources,” said Ogunlowo.
Funmilayo Sessi, the chairperson of the Lagos State chapter of the NLC, for her part, emphasized the effect that economic hardships have on workers’ earnings and urged private firms to swiftly enact the N70,000 minimum wage.
As at the time of this report, he added “The N70,000 isn’t sufficient in today’s economic realities. Once the consequential adjustment is finalized, all private employment agencies must begin paying their workers the N70,000 minimum wage,” Sessi insisted. “The NLC in Lagos State will ensure strict enforcement, and EAPEAN should avoid any conflict with the NLC regarding the minimum wage.”
