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The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has officially set ₦80,000 as the new minimum wage for state civil servants, effective from 1st November 2024. This decision aligns with recent adjustments under the National Minimum Wage (Amendment Act 2024) and seeks to provide financial relief amid rising living costs.
In addition to the wage increase, Governor Diri authorised an enhancement in the monthly pensions for retired state employees and allocated ₦7 billion to address outstanding gratuity arrears. These developments were conveyed through a statement by his spokesperson, Daniel Alabrah, who noted that the governor acknowledged the financial difficulties faced by state workers due to escalating living expenses.
“To address the harsh times and in line with the National Minimum Wage (Amendment Act 2024), the Prosperity Administration of His Excellency Senator Douye Diri has approved the sum of N80,000 as minimum wage for the state’s workers,” Alabrah stated. “Governor Diri also approved an increase in the monthly pension of state retirees. The related consequential adjustments for the various sectors, as agreed with the leadership of Labour in the state, will be implemented.”
Alabrah further emphasised that the governor remains appreciative of the state workforce and its leadership for their ongoing support and commitment to the administration’s policies. “To further ameliorate the challenges of our retired senior citizens, His Excellency also approved the payment and reduction of the outstanding gratuity liabilities by Seven Billion Naira,” he added.
This adjustment in Bayelsa comes shortly after a similar announcement by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, who set a minimum wage of ₦80,000 for civil servants. The trend of increasing minimum wages across states was also evident in Lagos, where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu declared a new minimum wage of ₦85,000 on 16th October, followed two days later by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who implemented the same increase for civil servants in his state.
The national revision of minimum wage standards gained momentum in July 2024 when President Bola Tinubu signed the updated wage bill, raising the baseline pay for workers from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000.
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