Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago has announced a bold vision for civil servant pay, revealing an ambitious target to establish a ₦1 million minimum wage.

Speaking at the Government House in Minna on Friday, Bago emphasised his administration’s commitment to enhancing worker welfare through substantial wage increases.

The governor confirmed that, effective November, civil servants in Niger State would receive a new minimum wage of ₦80,000, which was settled upon following extensive discussions with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) leaders in the state.

Bago expressed confidence in the state’s ability to sustain this increase, citing plans to fund the wage hike to leverage agricultural growth.

“This ₦80,000 is sustainable. We are sure that with our stride in agriculture, we can pay. We are creating a civil service farm so that civil servants can be productive. With that, we are sure that we can do ₦1 million as minimum wage,” Bago stated.

The governor assured that the wage increase would apply to civil servants in state and local governments, and October’s salaries have already been disbursed.

NLC Chairman Idrees Lafene praised the development, acknowledging that while ₦80,000 falls short of current living costs, it marks a positive step forward for state workers.

“It is not commensurate with a bag of rice, but at least, it is a step forward,” he commented, reflecting on the pressing economic challenges facing civil servants.

This initiative signals a significant shift in Niger State’s approach to worker compensation, sparking hope among civil servants for continued improvement.