The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has approved the immediate implementation of the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000 for all staff under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
This announcement was made in a statement signed by Anthony Odeh, Press Secretary to the Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, and released to journalists on Tuesday. The statement highlights the minister’s dedication to improving the welfare of FCT workers.
The Acting Head of Civil Service of the FCT, Mrs. Grace Adayilo, revealed that the payment will take effect from November 2024 and will include three months of arrears for all eligible staff.
She explained that the decision is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda championed by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of Nigerian workers.
“This gesture will further spur the entire administration staff to support the minister in continuing to deliver on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” Adayilo was quoted as saying in the statement.
Recall that President Tinubu signed the Minimum Wage Bill into law in May 2024, raising the minimum wage to N70,000 after months of negotiations with organised labour. However, some states, including the FCT, faced delays in implementation, sparking unrest among workers.
The FCT chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had threatened to shut down activities by November 30, 2024, as part of a nationwide strike to protest non-compliance with the new minimum wage policy in some states.
They also criticised the Wike-led FCT Administration for failing to meet with labour unions since his inauguration in August 2023.