TheCable Fact Check
  • Home
  • Fact Check
  • Fake News
  • Check Am For Wazobia
Reading: FACT CHECK: Akpabio erred. Not every employer is to pay N70k minimum wage
Share
Latest News
FACT CHECK: No evidence US struck Burkina Faso with missiles
FRSC sị̀ nà íhé ńgósị́ ébé ńdị́ ọ́rụ́ ha nà ónyé ọ̀kwà ụ́gbọ́àlà nà-ènwé ńsògbụ́ mèrè n’áfọ̀ 2020
FRSC sọ pé 2020 ni ìjà láàárín àwọn òṣìṣẹ́ àwọn àti onikẹkẹ maruwa tí áwọn ènìyàn ń pín fídíò rẹ̀ ṣẹlẹ̀
Viral video wey show kasala between keke rider and our officers na from 2020, na so FRSC tok
Bidiyon bidiyo na arangama tsakanin direban babur, jami’an mu daga 2020, in ji FRSC
È nwélá ọ́nwụ́ ńdị́ ụ́kà nà Naijiria n’áfọ̀ 2025 kárị́á ọ́nụ́ ọ́gụ́gụ́ ndị́ Palestinian é gbụ́rụ́ na Gaza?
Na true sey dem kill Christians for Nigeria dis year pass Palestinians for Gaza?
Ǹjẹ́ àwọn ẹlẹ́sìn ìgbàgbọ́ tí wọ́n pa ní Nàìjíríà ju àwọn ọmọ Palestine tí wọ́n pa ní Gaza lọ ní 2025?
Advertisement
Aa
TheCable Fact CheckTheCable Fact Check
Search
  • Home
  • Fact Check
  • Fake News
  • Check Am For Wazobia
Follow US

FACT CHECK: Akpabio erred. Not every employer is to pay N70k minimum wage

Samuel Akpan
By Samuel Akpan Published July 24, 2024 5 Min Read
Share

On Tuesday, the senate and house of representatives passed the new minimum wage bill.

The bill scaled first, second and third readings — all within an hour — in the upper and lower legislative chambers.

The legislation amended two key issues in the National Minimum Wage Act 2019, increasing the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 and shortening the review period from five to three years.

Speaking at plenary after the bill was passed, Godswill Akpabio, the senate president, claimed that Nigerians can no longer pay any domestic worker below N70,000.

“The bill says that if you are a tailor and you employ an additional hand, you cannot pay the person below N70,000. If you are a mother and you have a newborn child and you want to bring in a housemaid to look after your child, you cannot pay that housemaid below N70,000,” Akpabio said.

“It is not maximum wage. It applies to all and sundry. If you bring in a driver, if you bring in a gateman — you cannot pay that gateman below N70,000. So, I am very delighted that this has been passed and we now look forward to employers of labour going ahead to improve on what has been set as a benchmark for all and sundry to follow.

“So, I congratulate the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), I congratulate all Nigerians, and I congratulate the senate and the national assembly in general for this epoch-making legislation which has even reduced the time of negotiation from five years to three years in view of the soaring effect of foodstuff. It is now necessary that we review it every three years instead of five years.”

Akapbio’s remarks have elicited a series of reactions on social media, especially on X, with many questioning his claim.

“This is a joke of the highest order. You might want to check some of the laws governing minimum wage,” Tohluh Briggs said in the comment section.

“Really? What happened? What changed?” Philemon Kuza asked.

VIDEO: Nigerians can no longer pay domestic workers below N70k monthly, says Akpabio pic.twitter.com/hyZPutu0EY

— TheCable (@thecableng) July 24, 2024

WHAT IS MINIMUM WAGE?

The minimum wage is the least amount that employers are obligated to pay their employees. It is established by the National Minimum Wage Act to ensure that workers earn a basic standard of living and to prevent unfair treatment.

The current minimum wage in the country is N30,000 per month. The rate was previously reviewed every five years to reflect changes in living costs and economic conditions. It was last reviewed in 2019 during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

On June 3, Nigeria’s economy came to a standstill as labour unions staged a nationwide strike over the wage dispute.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) initially demanded N494,000, citing inflation and worsening economic conditions.

Following intense negotiations with federal government representatives, the unions scaled down their demand to N250,000.

On July 11, President Bola Tinubu met with labour leaders over the matter.

After further negotiations on July 18, the unions agreed to the N70,000 proposed by the president.

VERIFYING AKPABIO’S CLAIM 

To verify Akpabio’s claim, TheCable reviewed the National Minimum Wage Act 2019 to determine who is obligated to pay the minimum wage and who is exempted.

Section 3 (1) of the act states that every employer shall pay the national minimum wage to every worker under his or her establishment.

According to the law, any agreement for the payment of wages less than the national minimum wage is void.

But there are exceptions.

Section 4 of the act stipulates that the minimum wage requirement does not apply to employers with fewer than 25 employees.

According to the law, an establishment with the following employees is exempted from the minimum wage:
(a) part-time basis,
(b) commission or piece-rate;
(c) establishment employing less than 25 persons;
(d) workers in seasonal employment like agriculture; and
(e) any person employed in a vessel or aircraft to which the laws regulating merchant shipping or civil aviation apply.

VERDICT

Based on the National Minimum Wage Act 2019, Akpabio’s claim that any employer who hires a maid or gatekeeper will pay N70,000 minimum wage is false.

The law mandates employers with more than 25 workers to pay the minimum wage.

TAGGED: akpabio, Fact Check, minimum wage

Please send your feedback, claims to fact check and corrections requests to [email protected]

Samuel Akpan July 24, 2024 July 24, 2024
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

POPULAR POSTS

Advertisement

FACT CHECK: No evidence US struck Burkina Faso with missiles

A social media user has claimed that United States missiles hit Burkina Faso, prompting Ibrahim…

August 27, 2025

FRSC sị̀ nà íhé ńgósị́ ébé ńdị́ ọ́rụ́ ha nà ónyé ọ̀kwà ụ́gbọ́àlà nà-ènwé ńsògbụ́ mèrè n’áfọ̀ 2020

Ngalaba Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) akọwala n'ihe ngosi ebe onye ọ̀kwà ụgbọala ụkwụ atọ…

August 22, 2025

FRSC sọ pé 2020 ni ìjà láàárín àwọn òṣìṣẹ́ àwọn àti onikẹkẹ maruwa tí áwọn ènìyàn ń pín fídíò rẹ̀ ṣẹlẹ̀

Àjọ tó ń rí sí ààbò àwọn awakọ̀, àwọn tí wọ́n ń rìn lójú ọ̀nà…

August 22, 2025

Viral video wey show kasala between keke rider and our officers na from 2020, na so FRSC tok

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) don describe one viral video wey show as keke…

August 22, 2025
Advertisement
Advertisement

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

FACT CHECK: No evidence US struck Burkina Faso with missiles

A social media user has claimed that United States missiles hit Burkina Faso, prompting Ibrahim Traoré, junta leader, to retaliate.…

Fact Check
August 27, 2025

FAKE NEWS ALERT: We didn’t declare Iyabo Ojo wanted, say police

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has denied viral reports claiming that actress Iyabo Ojo was declared wanted for questioning. A…

Fact CheckFake News Alert
August 21, 2025

MISINFO ALERT: Viral video of clash between tricycle rider, our officers from 2020, says FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has described a viral video showing a tricycle rider confronting its officers in Benin…

Exclusives & FeaturesFact Check
August 21, 2025

DISINFO ALERT: Photo showing European leaders ‘sitting outside Trump’s office’ is doctored

A viral photo purports that European leaders recently camped outside the office of US President Donald Trump in the White…

Fact CheckTop Stories
August 21, 2025

CableCheck seeks to provide reliable tools and resources for readers to tackle the menace of fake and misleading materials constantly pushed into the public space from various sources. We monitor the accuracy of claims made in traditional and social media. We also provide a tracker to hold politicians and policymakers accountable for the plans and promises they make to the public. CableCheck is a project of the Cable Newspaper Journalism Foundation (CNJF), supported by the MacArthur Foundation and implemented by TheCable newspaper.

Follow US: 

LINKS

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Non-Partisanship Policy
  • Funding
  • Correction Policy
© Copyright TheCable. All Rights reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?