Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved a new minimum wage of ₦85,000 for civil servants, making Lagos one of the highest-paying states in Nigeria.
The announcement was made on Wednesday during an interview with a Television station, where the governor emphasized that the decision was made after discussions with labor unions and reflected the high cost of living in Lagos.
“It’s not a competition,” Sanwo-Olu said. “This decision is based on affordability and capacity. We know too well that when people live in Lagos, there is a premium in terms of the cost of living. I want my people to have a living wage.”
Sanwo-Olu hinted at plans to further raise the minimum wage to ₦100,000 by January 2024, stating that the move is intended to improve the quality of life for Lagos workers.
This announcement follows the Federal Government’s earlier approval of ₦70,000 as the minimum wage for civil servants nationwide after negotiations with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other labor unions.
Meanwhile, Governor Sanwo-Olu faces a lawsuit from several groups demanding transparency over the $100 million land allocated to the Dangote Refinery.
These groups argue that the public deserves to know how the state plans to account for such a large financial transaction, raising questions about the governor’s handling of state assets.
The legal battle and wage increase come as Sanwo-Olu balances managing Lagos’s development and ensuring workers receive a fair wage in one of Nigeria’s most expensive cities.