By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi 

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced plans to increase the minimum wage for workers in the state to N85,000, surpassing the federal government’s approved amount of N70,000.

This decision was shared during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, on Wednesday.

Sanwo-Olu emphasised that the increased wage is not intended to compete with other states but rather reflects the state’s capacity to provide it.

The governor highlighted that Lagos has a higher cost of living, and this wage adjustment acknowledges that reality.

According to him: “It is not a competition… it is a function of affordability and it is a function of capacity.”

This move follows President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the new N70,000 minimum wage bill into law in July, which concluded months of negotiations between government representatives, llabour nions, and the private sector.

Notably, this isn’t the first time Sanwo-Olu has approved a minimum wage increase.

In 2019, he approved N35,000 as the new minimum wage for Lagos State workers, which was higher than the federal government’s approved amount at the time.

The Lagos State Government has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring fair compensation for its workers, considering the state’s unique economic conditions.