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Naira Plunge Wipes Out Gains Of New ₦70,000 Minimum Wage – U.S. Report
The United States has raised concerns over the recent approval of Nigeria’s ₦70,000 minimum wage for federal workers, warning that the measure has been undermined by the naira’s steep depreciation against the dollar. In its 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor on August 12, the US noted that the new wage, equivalent to roughly $47.90 per month, has been eroded by an exchange rate exceeding ₦1,500 to $1.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The report highlighted significant gaps in the law, emphasizing that the minimum wage applies only to firms with 25 or more employees, excluding a large portion of the workforce. “The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024 doubled the minimum wage to 70,000 naira ($47.90) per month. Despite the increase, currency devaluation meant the minimum wage was no longer higher than the poverty income level,” the report stated. It added that seasonal agricultural workers, part-time staff, and commission-based employees are also exempted, while enforcement remains weak in some states due to financial constraints.
The US further noted that minimum wage and overtime laws are rarely effectively enforced, with penalties remaining low and insufficient compared with other crimes such as fraud. With an estimated 70 to 80 percent of Nigeria’s workforce employed in the informal economy, wage regulations, work-hour rules, and occupational safety protections are largely unenforced, leaving millions vulnerable to exploitation.
Beyond labor concerns, the report flagged persistent child rights violations, particularly early marriage. While federal law sets the minimum marriage age at 18, many states, especially in northern Nigeria, fail to uphold it, allowing children as young as 11 to marry under customary or religious law. The federal government has reportedly engaged religious leaders, emirs, and sultans to address the associated health risks.
The report also scrutinized challenges within Nigeria’s justice and security sectors, citing enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and weak due process. Amnesty International documented that the whereabouts of dozens of young men detained at SARS Awkuzu in Anambra State remain unknown years after the disbandment of the controversial police unit in 2020. Although law mandates that suspects be presented before a magistrate within 48 hours, security forces have been known to hold individuals incommunicado for weeks or months, with some pretrial detentions exceeding the maximum sentence for the alleged crime. Judicial delays are further exacerbated by shortages of judges, lost case files, and inadequate transport for inmates.
The report concluded that while Nigeria has made some strides in democratic reforms, persistent corruption, poverty-level wages, and weak enforcement of human rights continue to erode citizens’ confidence in governance.
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Dele Momodu Denies 2027 Ambition, Rejects VP Campaign Poster With Atiku Abubakar.
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has dismissed a viral presidential campaign poster linking him as a running mate to Atiku Abubakar.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
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Hard Times Return As Petrol Price Jumps To N1,440 Per Litre Across Nigeria
Petrol prices have surged across Nigeria, with filling stations now selling fuel between N1,364 and N1,444 per litre, as rising global crude oil prices continue to pressure the domestic market.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
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AGF Fagbemi Moves To Deregister ADC, Accord, AA And Other Political Parties
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has called for the deregistration of several political parties, including the Action Alliance (AA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Zenith Labour Party, and Action Peoples Party (APP).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
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