Nigeria Workers’ Day: Civil servants get pay rises up to 35%

Nigeria has increased the salaries of government workers by 25% to 35% to help them deal with the higher cost of living.

Even the lowest-paid government worker will now earn $324 (£258) a year, according to Reuters news agency.

Police officers, soldiers, and other government workers will see their pay go up, and it will be retroactive to January.

This announcement was made just before Wednesday’s Workers’ Day holiday.

But inflation is really high right now, over 30%, which is the highest it’s been in almost 30 years.

A Workers Day Message from Nigeria’s First Lady

I acknowledge the immense contributions of our nation’s workforce which is renowned for its dedication, resilience, and innovation.

I, therefore salute the teachers who nurture young minds, the farmers who cultivate our land, the… pic.twitter.com/1P0o0KfQNF

— NTA News (@NTANewsNow) May 1, 2024

The cost of food has gone up even more, by 35%, according to the latest information from the National Bureau of Statistics. So even with the pay raises, government workers will still be able to buy about the same amount of stuff as before.

Pensions for these workers will also go up by 20% to 28%, as per the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC).

This increase comes after the government recently raised the salaries of teachers and healthcare workers.

However, the minimum wage, which is set by the government and all employers are supposed to follow, hasn’t changed since 2019. It was set at 30,000 naira back then, but because the value of the naira has dropped a lot in recent months, it’s now only worth $19 (£15).