ICYMI #WorkersDay… RipplesMetrics: Salaries of Nigerian workers far less than other African countries

Despite working in the biggest economy in Africa, Nigerian workers minimum wage is one of the lowest in Africa.

Data from Statista show Nigeria’s economy was the biggest in Africa ahead of Egypt and South Africa in 2020.

Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the benchmark for determining how wealthy a country is, stood at $443 billion in 2020.

Egypt’s GDP was worth $362 billion and ranks as the second-highest on the continent. South Africa came in third with $289.59 billion.

Algeria and Morocco’s GDP amount to $147.32 billion and $112.22 billion respectively.

However, Ripples Nigeria analysis of wageindicator.org data show an average worker in Nigeria is paid 80 percent lower than the highest minimum wage in the continent.

In fact, among 10 selected African countries for the analysis, the minimum wage of a Nigerian is the third-worst.

The countries surveyed for the analysis include Morocco, Ghana, Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, Morroco, Kenya, Angola, Libya, and Seychelles.

Nigeria’s minimum wage, which many State governments are yet to implement, is N30,000 or $73.03 in dollar terms while for an average working Moroccan minimum take home is $368.39(MAD 3,300).

Read also: RipplesMetrics…Terrorists, bandits run riot in Nigeria. Over 77 deaths reported in 11 States

Nigeria’s minimum monthly wage is only higher than that of Angola $32.79 (21454 AOA) and Ghana’s $61.15( 354.6 cedi).

The second best place to work in Africa is Seychelles with a minimum wage of $289.39(SR4272).

South Africa came in third with 160 hours of a month of work providing $239.39 (21.69 rands per hour).

Algeria followed with $150.03(DZD 20,000.00) and Kenyan’s $127.72(13,572 KES).

Libya’s minimum wage is 450 local currency which amounts to $100.13 when converted.

Minimum Wage Debate

Some State governors are yet to pay or agree on the N30, 000 national minimum wages.

President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Quadri Olaleye, in an interview with The Guardian, said about 16 states were yet to commence payment of the new minimum wage.

He mentioned some of the States to include Benue, Cross River, Ekiti (only implemented levels one to six with backlogs of arrears on promotion); Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun (with huge remittance on deductions); Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, Kano, and Zamfara.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now