US: Nigeria’s N70,000 minimum wage lower than poverty income level

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The United States government says Nigeria’s N70,000 minimum wage is incapable of lifting millions of the country’s citizenry out of poverty.

In its 2024 country reports on human rights practices, released on August 12, 2025, the US Department of State said the minimum wage, currently valued at about $47.90 per month, has been severely eroded by the devaluation of the naira.The report also noted that wage enforcement remains weak across the country.“The law provided for a national minimum wage for public and private sector employers with 25 or more full-time employees, with exceptions for seasonal agricultural workers, part-time workers, those on commission, and some others,” the report reads.

“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.

“Many employers had fewer than 25 employees, so most workers were not covered. Some states declined to implement the minimum wage law, citing financial constraints. Thecable