The minimum wage in my country had been a meager sum, not until two years ago when it was finally increased from 30,000 naira to 70,000 naira. However, it would interest you to know that while this was signed into law, it wasn’t implemented in many sectors until after a year, which raises concerns about whether the government truly cares about its citizens and whether there are systems that exist to protect the rights and finances of everyone who serves the country.
I recall the reactions on the faces of many government staff when this adjustment was made public. You could hear the cheer in their voices. They were happy that their demands were finally being met. But if you listened closer, beyond the rejoicing were the voices of many industrious people who had no choice but to accept what they had been given. After all, half a loaf is better than none. The happiness they felt came from a place of hopelessness, as they all knew the 133% increment would not be enough, but they truly had no other options.
A lot of people heard about this increment and automatically assumed it would provide more income to help them support themselves and their families, but that wasn’t the case. When you compare the cost of living from previous years, like 2017 to 2026, you realize that the new wage is barely significant to match the present economic reality, and there's really nothing to be glad about. But the government knew that, at the end of the day, people would accept the crumbs so they easily implemented the law.
Prices of goods, services, housing, and transportation have quadrupled in the past ten years, which means that 70,000 naira only sounds impressive on paper, but in terms of value, it does very little for citizens. If anyone tries to counter this, they could see that even with a 70,000 naira salary, the complaints of hardship in every corner of the country is much more worse than it was a few years back. There is more suffering, more out-of-school children, and even higher crime rates, which could have been reduced if the minimum wage was truly sufficient. Ask anyone affected by these factors whether the minimum wage helps their daily lives, and the answer would be No! Well, except that a lot of Nigeria's citizens are not well-versed in economics, which benefits the government that prefers to keep her people impoverished.
Even if the current minimum wage were doubled, it would make only a small difference because the economy of the country is in shambles. For example, the current price of fuel is about 1,200 - 1,400 naira per litre compared to when it was 185 naira. This means that companies cannot afford to power their buildings 24/7 without running at a loss. It also means that their staff would have to touch a part of their savings to cover the high transportation costs. From all of these, it is clear than an increment does not make it any easier, it just helps fewer people.
Now, if the minimum wage were tripled, meaning 70,000 naira becomes 210,000 naira, it would go a long way for many people. The average Nigerian would be able to afford their rent without delay. It would also help young graduates serving the country to save more money and gather additional hard skills for entry-level roles. Civil servants who have served the country for many years would feel rewarded for their work. In fact, every sector would benefit from such an increment. Teachers would begin to teach with more passion and tolerance for their students. The staff in various companies would perform their duties wholeheartedly, and the desperation to migrate to other countries for greener pastures would generally decrease. These are the dreams of citizens who truly love their country, as better wages automatically improve working conditions and productivity.
Finally, minimum wage was never designed to make citizens rich; it was meant to provide a reasonable base income for them to be able to afford their basic needs. I mean, people can aspire to wealth when they are not in survival mode, but when Nigerians struggle to eat three square meals a day despite having a job, achieving success seems almost impossible. So, while the current minimum wage may seem substantial, it should not be romanticized. Instead, we should collectively demand higher wages that will help us survive this ridiculously high inflation that has lingered for years.
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