Twelve States Yet To Implement N30,000 Minimum Wage For Teachers, NUT Reports

Four years after the 2019 minimum wage of N30,000 was approved, twelve states in Nigeria have yet to fully implement the wage for teachers, according to data from the National Union of Teachers (NUT). The affected states where teachers are still awaiting the implementation include Abia, Adamawa, Benue, Cross River, Gombe, Imo, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Bauchi, and Zamfara.

Additionally, the NUT report revealed that in some states, including Anambra, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Nasarawa, and Yobe, the minimum wage has been implemented for other sectors but not for teachers in primary schools.

The situation has led to widespread dissatisfaction among teachers. For instance, in May 2024, the Nigeria Labour Congress in Zamfara State accused the government of paying teachers as little as N8,000 per month. Similarly, Abia State has been criticized for failing to implement the minimum wage, not just for teachers but for other workers as well.

NUT President, Titus Amba, expressed concern over the failure to fulfill commitments made to teachers, despite promises made by the federal government under former President Muhammadu Buhari. During the 2020 World Teachers’ Day, the administration acknowledged the poor conditions teachers face and approved several incentives to improve their welfare, including a special salary scale, bursary awards for education students, an extended retirement age, and other benefits.

Amba noted that these incentives were designed to revitalize the education sector and motivate teachers, yet many remain unimplemented. He urged both federal and state governments to ensure that the promised incentives are fully enacted to enhance the teaching profession and improve the delivery of education services across the country.