No government ever raised workers’ salary to N70,000 as Tinubu did – Minister

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Dingyadi, has stated that no previous government has ever increased workers’ salaries to the extent that President Bola Tinubu has done.

Speaking on Arise Television, the minister said the president had demonstrated genuine concern for Nigerian workers.

“Let me say this from my heart, not because I’m the minister today, but there has never been a time when any government in this country has ever raised the take-home pay of workers like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“He did raise it from N30,000 to N70,000, and we have never had that record in the history of workers in this country,” he said.

While critics argue that workers’ real earning power has not improved due to the devaluation of the naira, the minister maintained that, “We are all battling with this issue of devaluation. It’s not just Nigeria. It’s an international issue.”

Although the Tinubu administration raised the minimum wage to N70,000, concurrent policies—such as the removal of fuel subsidy, the devaluation of the naira, and increased electricity tariffs—have rendered the new wage less impactful.

Some experts have argued that it is misleading for the government to claim salary increases when the purchasing power of workers remains similar—or even weaker—than when the minimum wage stood at N30,000.

However, the minister added, “This is something from the market, which you cannot dictate. It’s a free economy we have to allow.”

When reminded that it was government policies that led to this economic strain, he responded, “I don’t think so, because we have to take certain decisions in the interest of the economy and the interests of the entire people of this country.

“We are not dealing just with the workers. We are also dealing with the people who voted for this administration, and we also care for their standard of living.”

No government ever raised workers’ salary to N70,000 as Tinubu did – Minister