15 States Fail to Implement N30,000 Wage for Teachers

Teachers in primary and secondary schools in 15 states are yet to enjoy the N30,000 wage increase.

This is three years after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the National Minimum Wage Act into law.

According to the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the states are Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Niger, Borno, Sokoto, Anambra, Imo, Benue, Taraba and Zamfara.

Data from the teachers’ union showed that only 15 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have fully implemented the wage for primary and secondary school teachers.

States that have fully implemented the wage increase are Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers State and FCT.

There is a partial implementation in Kogi, Cross River; Kaduna and Yobe have reverted to the N18,000 minimum of 2011.

The N30,000 minimum wage was signed into law by President Buhari in April 2019 after a long battle with Organised Labour.

A document obtained from the NUT read: “The following states are experiencing non-implementation of N30,000 minimum wage.

“They are Anambra and Imo with no reasons from their government; Benue, Taraba and Zamfara are due to paucity of funds.

“In Kaduna and Yobe states, the implementation of new minimum wage was reversed to N18,000 in April and November 2021 respectively.

“There is non-implementation of minimum wage in primary schools in Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu and Nasarawa State and governments in these States have given no reason for their action.

“While Adamawa, Gombe and Niger States are experiencing the non-implementation due to either lack of funds or insufficient funds from their Local Governments.

“In Borno State, the government complained of insufficient funds but promised to implement it in July or August 2022 for primary school teachers.

“The Sokoto government is planning on carrying out a verification exercise to determine qualified teachers as NCE holders.

“States with non-implementation of the N30, 000 in both primary and secondary schools are Anambra and Imo with no reasons from their government; Benue, Taraba and Zamfara are due to paucity of funds.

“In Kaduna and Yobe States, the implementation of new minimum wage was reversed to N18,000 in April and November 2021 respectively.