AN APPRAISAL OF MINIMUN WAGE LEGISLATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The paper examines minimum wage legislation in Nigeria with a view to ascertaining their socio-legal implications. The paper found that minimum wage legislation has a checkered history in Nigeria. The first nationally negotiated minimum wage came into effect on 1 May 2000. The last amendment of the Act was in 2011 and has been due for review since 2015 but no such review has taken place. However, the bill to amend the Act has been passed by the two arms of the National Assembly and is currently awaiting presidential assent. The paper found that the National Minimum Wage Act did not address the problem of casualization of skilled workers by Nigerian Banks and multinational companies. The paper further found that disputes over minimum wage are now within the exclusive subject matter jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court. Finally, the paper found that the deterrent provisions of the Act is whittled down by failure of the amendment of 2011 to review the punishment to be meted out to employers who obstructed Authorized Officers in the cause of their monitoring to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Act by employers.