Governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have urged President Bola Tinubu to consider raising the national minimum wage to N100,000, citing improved revenues to states following the removal of fuel subsidy and other fiscal reforms introduced by the administration.
The call was made on Friday by the Chairman of the NGF and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, during a meeting between President Tinubu and state governors in Lagos as part of activities marking the third anniversary of the administration and the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
AbdulRazaq said the removal of fuel subsidy and accompanying fiscal reforms had significantly increased the financial capacity of subnational governments, enabling many states to meet obligations and reduce their debt burdens.
“I think the nation was shocked by the audacity of Mr President to implement that serious policy, but today, it benefited immensely from that policy,” the governor said.
He noted that many states that previously relied on borrowing and bond issuance to finance projects and recurrent expenditures were now in a stronger fiscal position.
“Many states were subject to issuing bonds and borrowing money. Today, states are not going to borrow money; they’re not going to issue bonds. In fact, we’re reducing our debt. I urge your Excellency to let them discuss moving the minimum wage to a minimum of N100,000,” AbdulRazaq said.
The governors’ position came as President Tinubu defended his administration’s decision to remove fuel subsidy, describing it as a painful but necessary step that saved Nigeria from imminent bankruptcy.
According to the President, years of unsustainable subsidy payments had drained public resources and denied critical sectors of the economy the investments required for growth and development.
“It was challenging at the time, but we survived. We faced litigation and accusations. We survived them. Instead of bankruptcy, Nigeria has survived. The economy has recovered. It is growing. Agriculture is booming,” Tinubu said.
The President added that the reforms had helped reset the economy and restore stability, while ongoing investments in infrastructure, agriculture, housing and social programmes were beginning to yield positive results.
He also commended state governors for supporting the reforms and encouraging citizens to remain patient during the adjustment period.
“I’m glad governors are no longer borrowing from the federal government and asking for interventions and not knowing how to survive, how to pay salaries, no more. You kept the spirit, you kept the hope. You persuaded our people to be patient and endure these three years of painful reform, during which we put the economy on a reset. Today, the benefits are showing,” he said.
Vice President Kashim Shettima also praised Tinubu’s decision to remove fuel subsidy, describing it as a courageous move that confronted long-standing distortions in the nation’s economy.
The meeting was attended by governors from Lagos, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Taraba, Niger, Ekiti, Delta, Ondo, Edo, Adamawa, Benue, Enugu, Ogun and Kogi states, as well as the deputy governors of Borno and Kano States.
