According to the federal government, private companies that pay employees less than N70,000 may face imprisonment.

The Federal Government has issued a serious caution to private-sector employers, emphasizing that offering wages below the newly set minimum of N70,000 could result in imprisonment.

During the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria, which took place in Ikeja, Lagos, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachollom Daju, was represented by John Nyamali, the Director of Employment and Wages. He stated,

“The minimum wage is now a law, and as a result, it is a punishable crime for any employer to pay less than N70,000 to any of its workers. Emphasizing the necessity of the updated wage to address current economic conditions, the government asserted that no Nigerian worker, whether in public or private employment, should earn less than this minimum.

“The private employment agencies should make it compulsory in any contract they take from their principal that their workers should not earn less than the minimum wage. The least paid worker in Nigeria should earn N70,000, and I think that should be after all deductions.

“The minimum wage is a law, and you can be jailed if you fail to implement it. The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that the least paid worker goes home with N70,000.”