₦airaland Forum

On Tuesday, the senate and house of representatives passed the new minimum wage bill.

The bill scaled first, second and third readings — all within an hour — in the upper and lower legislative chambers.

The legislation amended two key issues in the National Minimum Wage Act 2019, increasing the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 and shortening the review period from five to three years.

Speaking at plenary after the bill was passed, Godswill Akpabio, the senate president, claimed that Nigerians can no longer pay any domestic worker below N70,000.

“The bill says that if you are a tailor and you employ an additional hand, you cannot pay the person below N70,000. If you are a mother and you have a newborn child and you want to bring in a housemaid to look after your child, you cannot pay that housemaid below N70,000,” Akpabio said.

“It is not maximum wage. It applies to all and sundry. If you bring in a driver, if you bring in a gateman — you cannot pay that gateman below N70,000. So, I am very delighted that this has been passed and we now look forward to employers of labour going ahead to improve on what has been set as a benchmark for all and sundry to follow.

“So, I congratulate the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), I congratulate all Nigerians, and I congratulate the senate and the national assembly in general for this epoch-making legislation which has even reduced the time of negotiation from five years to three years in view of the soaring effect of foodstuff. It is now necessary that we review it every three years instead of five years.”

Akapbio’s remarks have elicited a series of reactions on social media, especially on X, with many questioning his claim.

“This is a joke of the highest order. You might want to check some of the laws governing minimum wage,” Tohluh Briggs said in the comment section.

“Really? What happened? What changed?” Philemon Kuza asked.

WHAT IS MINIMUM WAGE?

The minimum wage is the least amount that employers are obligated to pay their employees. It is established by the National Minimum Wage Act to ensure that workers earn a basic standard of living and to prevent unfair treatment.

The current minimum wage in the country is N30,000 per month. The rate was previously reviewed every five years to reflect changes in living costs and economic conditions. It was last reviewed in 2019 during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

On June 3, Nigeria’s economy came to a standstill as labour unions staged a nationwide strike over the wage dispute.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) initially demanded N494,000, citing inflation and worsening economic conditions.

Following intense negotiations with federal government representatives, the unions scaled down their demand to N250,000.

On July 11, President Bola Tinubu met with labour leaders over the matter.

After further negotiations on July 18, the unions agreed to the N70,000 proposed by the president.

VERIFYING AKPABIO’S CLAIM

To verify Akpabio’s claim, TheCable reviewed the National Minimum Wage Act 2019 to determine who is obligated to pay the minimum wage and who is exempted.

Section 3 (1) of the act states that every employer shall pay the national minimum wage to every worker under his or her establishment.

According to the law, any agreement for the payment of wages less than the national minimum wage is void.

But there are exceptions.

Section 4 of the act stipulates that the minimum wage requirement does not apply to employers with fewer than 25 employees.

According to the law, an establishment with the following employees is exempted from the minimum wage:
(a) part-time basis,
(b) commission or piece-rate;
(c) establishment employing less than 25 persons;
(d) workers in seasonal employment like agriculture; and
(e) any person employed in a vessel or aircraft to which the laws regulating merchant shipping or civil aviation apply.

VERDICT

Based on the National Minimum Wage Act 2019, Akpabio’s claim that any employer who hires a maid or gatekeeper will pay N70,000 minimum wage is false.

The law mandates employers with more than 25 workers to pay the minimum wage.

https://factcheck.thecable.ng/fact-check-akpabio-erred-not-every-employer-is-to-pay-n70k-minimum-wage/#:~:text=Based%20on%20the%20National%20Minimum,to%20pay%20the%20minimum%20wage.

What does sane people expects from the coven of chronic irredeemable pathological liars? Same corrupt rubberstamped robot and stooge that always talks first before he thinks?

rubber stamp senate president is a disgrace to Nigeria

Please don't blame Akpabio...he's a typical Nigerian polithiefcian with little or no knowledge of the laws of the country they rule over...even the so-called lawyers among them

As for companies with fewer than 25 employees who rake in millions in profit, they usually pay their few employees well above the minimum wage. The companies they are talking about here are the one-man businesses, some of who don't even make 70k profit in a month!

House of Reps is already amending that law to allow only companies with about 25 employees and above to comply with that minimum wage regulation.

Well, I don't think it's a good move though because there are companies that don't need up to 25 employees to make millions of naira every month.

Meanwhile, Nigeria doesn't need two houses - House of Reps and Senate. They are just creating confusion.

Akpabio, you have been falling hand ever since you joined APC. Gaffe after gaffe, you are now a laughing stock. A comedian. A big joke. A ridiculous senate president. You don't even know the law you just passed? Meanwhile you used to be a dynamic and erudite governor who transformed Akwa Ibom state blazing a trail subsequent governors there are still following. So what happened? How are the mighty fallen?

BigDawsNet:
What about this factories owned by Indians and Chinese

I believe they have over 100 staffs…

Are the labour staffs entitled to 70k??

Yes... As long as the number of staff is 25 and above.

Akpabio has always talked before even listening to what he's saying just like a drunkard
He's like a radio
Only that we don't really know what is behind the mask
Who remembers how the words of the old but new national anthem became an issue with him?

Damnnn niggar

All these people normally nor know anything

Even the Senate President does not understand the bill they passed . What a shame.

The problem here is labour union always going for strike for the wrong reasons,

Where was the legislatives when the Government removed subsidy

Infact everything about Nigeria is upside down.

Corruption everywhere yet EFCC is blind to it because the corruption in Nigeria is bigger than EFCC itself

They Only people that sees Nigeria as a country moving ahead is the people sitting on resources of this country the More their pockets are filled the more the feel Nigeria is progressing not knowing that Nigeria is progressing only for their pockets.

NNPC has been the bane of corruption yet the EFCC the house committees has refused to shed light on it because they also benefits from the corrupt system.

In a sane country the fued between Dangote refinery and NNPC should be investigated closely to unravel indicated corruption that's has been the reason why our refinery has eaten More money but has not produced a drop of refined products.

To NNPC it is business ...... If we start refining here in Nigeria we would be at Loss because we're going to gain nothing in our private pockets instead let's go to Europe and import their dirty and rejected products since we are the sole importers no one will notice any foul play and in that process we gain more private money for ourselves to enjoy.
NNPC stands for if we refine here we gain nothing to loot and embezzle so let's sabotage our refineries in other for us to keep importing and keep looting.

Nigeria is a very corrupt country

What about this factories owned by Indians and Chinese

I believe they have over 100 staffs…

Are the labour staffs entitled to 70k??

First ask, Will all governors pay the 70k? Before private businesses.

Ofcourse no staff or worker will be paid lesser than 70k and even the 70k is chicken change.. yesterday a friend of mine did a Little get together and he spent 150k on Canadian loud just to entertain about 11 guys and 4 girls moving on from that

Some blocked heads are saying every Igbos should leave Lagos and other parts of Nigeria and go to the east to protest against the bad government., My question to these blocked head zombies is don't the Igbos pay their taxes in Lagos and other regions where they reside ? I'm not even Igbo but the truth is if igbo leave Lagos,Lagos will crumble in less than 3 years.. real facts ..

BigDawsNet:
When you have below 20 staffs I don’t think you have to pay 70grand

If they force it and push it hard people will just down size their staff.

This Senate president would turnout to be the worst. Doesn't know how to talk or comprehend, and always contracting himself.

When person head too big,,e go dey worry am.. Bastard akpabio..

Truth

My friend works for a minister in Abuja , salary is nothing to talk about.

Some People are just plain evil.

D Nigerian 1000 Naira Will soon be equivalent to the price of tissue paper. Bt wetin man go do now.

I closed two of my shops, I placed my Ecommerce website on sales, yet no buyer yet. This is a website with good seo ranking, but I can't run it because the economy is killing businesses.


As much as I hate to say this, there is anger(advanced form of hunger) in the Land.

Parable007:
If they force it and push it hard people will just down size their staff.

It may likely end in downsizing if the owners cannot meet up

1 person who do job of 5 people resulting to hard labour

holocron:
Akpabio, you have been falling hand ever since you joined APC. Gaffe after gaffe, you are now a laughing stock. A comedian. A big joke. A ridiculous senate president. You don't even know the law you just passed? Meanwhile you used to be a dynamic and erudite governor who transformed Akwa Ibom state blazing a trail subsequent governors there are still following. So what happened? How are the mighty fallen?

I don't think it's about APC. I think this is who he has always been right from when he was governor, but his people ignored him because he's their son.

However, becoming the third man in country, all eyes are on him and everyone is getting embarrassed by his seneless and needless utterances.

Man be sniffing cow dung since ascending the No 3 position in naija

I keep imagining how Akwa Ibom coped with this man for eight years.

It wasn’t a slip of tongue, the man and every house member that was present when he made that statement are empty upstairs & worse than rubber stamps!

Akpabio is hyping the the system or does not know the law

Foolish man in a foolish country, speaking foolishly. Olodo.

Houseontherock1:
Please don't blame Akpabio...he's a typical Nigerian polithiefcian with little or no knowledge of the laws of the country they rule over...even the so-called lawyers among them

As for companies with fewer than 25 employees who rake in millions in profit, they usually pay their few employees well

He is right even tho he's not quoting the law well....

It simply means pay your workers well...

Is that too hard to comprehend?
If you cannot pay them, then do the work alone

Abia won't pay 30k talk more of 70k minimum wage even in 5yrs from now.. Instead of going to fix their poorly governed States, they are after Sanwo-Olu in Lagos.