Only Lagos and Edo states have begun paying the newly approved minimum wage, according to reports.

According to The Punch, seven states have established implementation committees for the approved minimum wage. These states are Kano, Kwara, Ogun, Borno, Jigawa, Ondo, and Abia.

The remaining states that have not yet formed implementation panels are Plateau, Kebbi, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Bayelsa, Delta, Osun, Ekiti, Zamfara, Benue, Enugu, Taraba, Gombe, Kogi, Enugu, Adamawa, Niger, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Katsina, Kaduna, Cross River, and Yobe.

President Bola Tinubu signed the new minimum wage bill into law on July 29 after meetings with the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Organised Labour has urged Nigerians to be patient with the federal and state governments due to the delay in implementing the minimum wage.

The Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, made this statement in an interview with The Punch on Monday, August 19.

Ndubuaku emphasized the importance of informing people that there might be a slight delay in the implementation of the N70,000 wage due to the processes involved.

However, he expressed optimism that the process could be completed by the end of August.

He said, “We have no reason to suspect that (deliberate delay). In a real sense, signing the wage is just a small component of the main activity. There is something we call consequential adjustment. That involves the calculation of the minimum wage from level one, step one. From there, we will move from stage one to 13 all the way to level 16.

“So it is something that may take some time. Again, they are not going to compile them alone. There are templates for compiling it. But they must also carry us along. I believe you are aware there is a committee that is supposed to carry out the necessary adjustments. We expect it should be completed before the end of the month.”