The Nigeria Governors’ Forum has called for an increase in the national minimum wage from N70,000 to N100,000, citing improved financial conditions in many states following the removal of fuel subsidy.
Chairman of the forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, made the appeal while commending President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the subsidy removal policy, which he said has strengthened state finances.
Speaking in a video shared on his Facebook page on Saturday, AbdulRazaq said many state governments are already paying wages close to the proposed figure and expressed confidence that the Federal Government would support the initiative.
“On the issue of minimum wage, most states are paying almost N100,000 today. I urge Your Excellency to let us have a discussion on moving the minimum wage to N100,000. We know we will get the normal support from you as we move ahead to implement that,” he said.
The governor noted that improved revenue generation across states has created an opportunity to revisit workers’ welfare and salary structures.
His comments come amid increasing calls from labour unions and civil society groups for salary adjustments to reflect rising living costs and persistent inflation.
AbdulRazaq also praised the President for maintaining key economic reforms despite initial concerns over their impact.
“I can keep talking about various projects across this country, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and many other investments. There is a lot to say, but what amazes me is your audacity to hold on to the reforms despite the challenges. That is highly commendable,” he stated.
The NGF chairman recalled that governors initially expressed concern when informed of plans to remove fuel subsidy, fearing the decision could trigger widespread unrest.
“I remember we were in China when I got a call from the National Security Adviser and the Director-General of the Department of State Services saying that fuel subsidy would be removed and there was no going back,” he said.
According to him, governors present during the trip held emergency discussions on the likely consequences of the policy.
“We met and asked ourselves how this could be implemented. To us, it was impossible,” AbdulRazaq added.
He disclosed that upon returning to Nigeria, the governors planned to persuade President Tinubu to reconsider the policy but later changed their position after hearing his vision for the country.
“When we came back to Nigeria, we decided to book an appointment with Mr President to let him know that this could not work. But then he invited us to dinner. We sat down and listened to his vision for Nigeria and, at the end of the day, we couldn’t even bring up the topic,” he said.
The governor explained that state governments subsequently prepared for possible protests and security challenges.
“We advised one another to call State Security Council meetings because we were expecting serious riots. We spent money and mobilised security agencies to secure our various states,” he said.
However, he noted that the anticipated resistance did not occur.
“Lo and behold, on that day, nothing happened. There was no riot and there was no protest anywhere. The nation was shocked by the audacity of Mr President to implement that serious policy,” he added.
AbdulRazaq maintained that the benefits of subsidy removal are now evident in the financial health of states, with many reducing their debt burdens and relying less on borrowing.
“Today, states are not going out to borrow money as before. In fact, we are reducing our debts. Some states, such as Delta, have cleared their debts completely, while we in Kwara have reduced ours by about 40 per cent,” he said.
The NGF chairman expressed optimism that continued economic reforms and improved revenue allocation would enable states to meet higher wage obligations while sustaining development projects.
