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The Senate has approved a bill to amend the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019, raising the minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000.
Additionally, the Senate passed a bill on Tuesday, July 23, to shorten the period for reviewing the National Minimum Wage from five years to three years.
The bill, titled "A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019 to increase the National Minimum Wage and reduce the time for periodic review of the national minimum wage from five years to three years and for related matters, 2024," was introduced by Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele of the APC, Ekiti Central.
This Executive bill, submitted to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu, went through its first reading, passed the second reading, and was finally read a third time and approved.
In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill, Senator Bamidele said, “Mr. President, Distinguished colleagues, I humbly rise to lead the debate on the general principles of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 550). The Bill, inter alia seeks to amend the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019, to increase the National Minimum Wage and reduce the time for periodic review of the National Minimum Wage from Five (5) years to Three (3) years, and for Related Matters.
“The Bill was read for the First Time today, 23rd July, 2024.
“You will recall, Mr. President, my dear Colleagues, that in recent times, a plethora of agitations and clamours have been recorded from Organised Labour and another segment of our society, for an increase in the National Minimum Wage given the prevailing economic situation in the country. In response to the agitations and after a series of negotiations between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour, the current National Minimum Wage of N30,000 Naira only has been reviewed upward to the sum of N70,000 Naira only."