N100,000 Wage Proposal Shows Impact of Tinubu Reforms, Says TMSG

The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has said the recent proposal by state governors to raise the national minimum wage to N100,000 reflects the positive impact of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms on state finances.

The group argued that the willingness of governors to support a higher wage structure indicates that states now have greater financial capacity than they did before the current administration’s reforms.

In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, TMSG noted that the position taken by governors contrasts sharply with their reaction in 2024 when the Federal Government proposed a N70,000 minimum wage.

The group expressed surprise that governors were now championing a higher wage, describing the development as unusual given the long-standing reluctance of many state governments to embrace salary increases.

“Like many Nigerians, we were stunned to see the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, proposing a new national minimum wage of N100,000 during a Sallah visit to President Bola Tinubu,” the statement said.

“It was indeed an unusual move because state governors are not known for proposing wage increases in living memory.”

TMSG recalled that some governors had initially resisted the N70,000 minimum wage introduced two years ago but observed that several states later adopted even higher salary structures.

According to the group, Lagos and Rivers states subsequently increased their minimum wages to N85,000, while Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu and Akwa Ibom approved N80,000.

It also listed Ogun, Delta, Benue and Osun among states paying between N75,000 and N77,000, while Imo State adopted N104,000 as its minimum wage in September 2025.

The group maintained that many states struggled to consistently pay the previous N30,000 minimum wage before the current administration’s reforms increased allocations from the federation account.

“It is a matter of public record that many of these states were unable to regularly pay the then minimum wage of N30,000 until the advent of the President Bola Tinubu administration, which introduced economic reforms that made more funds available to the sub-nationals from the federation account,” it stated.

TMSG argued that the governors’ proposal amounted to an acknowledgment that states now enjoy stronger financial standing.

“That the states are formally proposing a higher wage structure than the one institutionalised two years ago is a soft admittance by governors that the sub-nationals are more liquid than ever before,” the group said.

The organisation also pointed to ongoing infrastructure projects, improved pension payments and data from the Debt Management Office showing that states are no longer relying on domestic borrowing to meet salary obligations.

It added that the governors’ proposal was a response to prevailing economic realities and rising living costs, insisting that the development underscored the effectiveness of the administration’s economic policies.

While acknowledging that any review of the national minimum wage would require further consultations, the group expressed optimism that the Federal Government could ultimately support a figure higher than the N100,000 being proposed.

TMSG urged Nigerians to continue supporting the administration, saying its policies were designed to improve the welfare of citizens despite criticism from opposition groups.