The Osun State chapter of the National Forum of Heads of Federal Government Establishments in Nigeria (NAFOHEADS) has declared that the current ₦70,000 minimum wage is no longer sustainable in light of rising inflation and worsening economic conditions.
Mr Samuel Adekunle, Chairman of NAFOHEADS in Osun and Curator at the National Gallery of Arts, made this known in Osogbo on Wednesday during an inter-denominational service to mark the 2025 African Civil Service Week.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the event, Adekunle stated that the value of the ₦70,000 wage, which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024 and implemented two months later, had significantly diminished due to the escalating cost of living.
“The ₦70,000 minimum wage is no longer sufficient for workers to survive,” he said. “Inflation continues to rise, and civil servants are finding it increasingly difficult to afford basic necessities. There is an urgent need to revisit the wage structure in line with prevailing economic realities.”
He emphasised that the rising prices of goods and services had deepened the hardship faced by workers nationwide and called on the Federal Government to review the wage upwards to alleviate the financial strain on civil servants and enhance their living standards.
Adekunle also highlighted the importance of the inter-denominational service, saying it was organised to seek divine intervention in the affairs of Nigerian workers and the nation’s development.
This year’s Civil Service Week is themed: “Federal Civil Service and Sustainable Development in a Developing Economy.”
