Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has approved an increase in the state’s minimum wage from ₦70,000 to ₦104,000 for civil servants, making it one of the highest in the country.
The announcement was made on Tuesday during a meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the Government House in Owerri. The new wage structure is expected to take effect immediately.
Under the revised salary scale, the minimum wage for civil servants has been raised from ₦76,000 to ₦104,000. Medical doctors in the state will now earn ₦503,000 monthly, up from ₦215,000, while lecturers in tertiary institutions will receive ₦222,000, compared to their previous ₦119,000.
Governor Uzodimma said the wage increase was necessary to cushion the effects of inflation, fuel subsidy removal, and other economic pressures affecting workers. He cited improved internally generated revenue, increased federal allocations, and reduced state debt as key enablers for the adjustment.
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“The government of Imo State has prioritized the welfare of its workers. Our improved revenue base allows us to do this responsibly,” the governor stated.
Present at the meeting were the state NLC Chairman, Uche Chigemezu, the state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Uchenna Ibe, the state Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Josiah Ugochukwu, and the state Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Barth Echeta.
Labour leaders welcomed the decision, describing it as a progressive move. NLC State Chairman, Uchechigemezu Nwigwe, called it “a historic step in favour of the working class,” while TUC Chairman, Uchenna Ibe, praised the governor’s political will.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed the minimum wage bill into law, ending months of deliberations between government authorities, labour unions, and the private sector.
He signed it at the State House in Abuja days after the National Assembly passed the Minimum Wage Act, 2019, to increase the National Minimum Wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000.