FACT CHECK: Was minimum wage stagnant during PDP’s 16 years as claimed?

A social media user @StFreakingKezy in a tweet on Monday claimed that in the 16 years rule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the government never increased minimum wage and allowances for National Youth Corp Members (NYSC).

He added that the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in just eight years ensured increased minimum wages and NYSC allowances.

He wrote, “PDP didn’t increase minimum wage or NYSC allawee [allowance] throughout the 16 years they were in the helm of affairs (1999-2015)

“APC increased the minimum wage from N18,000 to N30,000 and NYSC allawee from N19,800 to N33,000(2015-2023) 8 years. How many states in Nigeria actually pays the minimum wage that was INCREASED?”

The post attracted over 100,000 views, liked and retweeted many times.

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Background

Nigeria’s minimum wage Act stipulates a minimum wage review after every five years.

The national minimum wage was reviewed and approved by former president Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 from 18,000 to N30,000

However, the provision of the minimum wage Act says it should be reviewed after every four years, as such Nigeria is due for another minimum wage review by next year (2024)

Consequently, the recent removal of fuel subsidy has sparked agitations for a new minimum wage to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal which has now jacked up the price of fuel from N195 to N540 per litre

Subsequently, labour unions in a recent meeting with the federal demanded a minimum wage of N200,000 for Nigerians workers.

The President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also promised to work with relevant agencies in producing a new minimum wage for the country.

Verification

Claim 1: PDP govt didn’t increase minimum wage

Checks by Daily Trust revealed that in February 2011, the Nigerian Senate approved the N18,000 new national minimum wage for workers which was proposed by the then President, Goodluck Jonathan.

The proposed minimum wage at the time was increased from N7,500 to N18,000. The President subsequently signed the bill into law to commence the implementation of the Act.

The Act mandated every employer to pay a wage not less than the national minimum wage of N18,000 per month to every worker under them.

Verdict: False

Claim 2: No NYSC allowance was increased in 16 years of PDP rule

Verification

Further checks by Daily Trust also showed that the Federal Government under former President Goodluck Jonathan approved an increase in the monthly allowance paid to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from N9,775 to N19,800 with effect from March 2011.

The approval was done in July 2011.

The then, Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen Maharazu Tsiga, who at that time conveyed the President’s approval added that the arrears would be paid to all serving corps members and those who recently passed prior to the President’s approval.

Verdict: False

Conclusion:  Daily Trust found that the PDP administration of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 increased both minimum wage and allowances of corp members, as such the claims are false.

This Fact Check is produced in partnership with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)