The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed concern over the failure of nine state governments to implement the ₦70,000 minimum wage for teachers, despite previous agreements aimed at improving education sector welfare.
The states yet to comply include Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Yobe, and Zamfara. While some of these states have made marginal salary adjustments, the union noted that none have fully adopted the ₦70,000 wage benchmark intended to standardise teacher remuneration and boost education delivery nationwide.
In Enugu State, for example, the government approved a ₦50,000 enhanced wage award, which the union says falls short of the agreed minimum. Kaduna State attributed its delay to an ongoing staff verification exercise, while states such as Nasarawa, Yobe, and Zamfara have yet to begin any implementation process.
Speaking on the issue, NUT National President, Comrade Titus Amba, decried the growing disparity in teacher salaries across Nigeria and warned that continued neglect could undermine progress in the education sector.
“The minimum wage should be uniform,” Amba said. “It’s unfair that some teachers still earn as low as ₦18,000 to ₦30,000 while others receive ₦70,000 or more. This gap must be closed.”
The NUT is urging state governments to act swiftly and implement the ₦70,000 minimum wage across all tiers of teaching, including primary and local government education workers. The union stressed that equitable pay is critical to reducing disparities in educational outcomes and preventing future unrest within the teaching workforce.
