Nigerian businessman and social commentator Isaac Fayose has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to increase the national minimum wage from ₦70,000 to ₦200,000, arguing that the current wage is no longer enough to meet the realities of the country’s rising cost of living.
In a statement shared online, Fayose said many Nigerians cannot survive on the existing minimum wage and warned that addressing workers’ welfare is essential to reducing crime.
“President Tinubu, have mercy on our people and increase minimum wage to ₦200,000 now. I don’t think anyone can survive with ₦70,000 current minimum wage. ₦70,000 is nothing. If we don’t solve the minimum wage problem, we can’t solve crime.”
Reactions
@Ogadimw: “First time a Yorugba man is making sense on this internet. Tinubu destroyed Nigeria.”
@Latest91512350: “You are just a nuisance. How about private sector? Can they afford it.”
@Samsonj4christ: “₦200k is not the solution. Price of things will increase beyond control and naira will get weaker.”
@OlusegunOl99186: “Werey u don dey accept defeat already 😌😂😂😂😂😂. Na beg e remain now.”
@AjiriFundz67239: “Nor be to increase minimum wage. Dem need to fix the economy first because if dem increase am to ₦200k, things go still increase and the money go lose value.”
@yusufdahirumayo: “Governors are taking this country backwards. Some states are yet to implement ₦70k minimum wage and the current payment did not reflect reality. Indeed, a minimum of ₦200k will be okay.”
@Chaplexis: “It is long overdue. The purchasing power of the naira is currently very low. The minimum wage should be at least ₦250k.”