The Imo State government has begun paying its civil servants a new minimum wage of ₦104,000 ($67), positioning the southeastern state as the highest-paying in Nigeria’s public sector and marking a rare wage increase amid the country’s economic strain.
State employees began receiving credit alerts reflecting the new salary structure over the weekend, according to local reports, ending months of anticipation following Governor Hope Uzodimma’s announcement earlier this year that the state would review its pay scale upward.
The pay rise extends beyond junior workers. Newly recruited medical doctors in Imo’s public hospitals will now earn ₦513,000 monthly, while entry-level lecturers in state-owned universities and polytechnics will receive ₦220,000.
The increase places Imo at the top of Nigeria’s subnational wage chart, ahead of Lagos State, which pays ₦88,000; Rivers, ₦85,000; and both Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa at ₦80,000. The national minimum wage remains ₦70,000, approved by the federal government earlier this year.
Prince Eze Ugochukwu, the governor’s special adviser on public enlightenment, said in a statement on Sunday that the new wage structure was part of the administration’s plan to “strengthen the state’s economy and improve workers’ welfare.”
“Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration is spearheading this considerable policy change, which is poised to have a substantial impact on the state’s economic and social well-being,” Ugochukwu said. “The goal is to bolster the financial capacity of workers and stimulate spending that will, in turn, boost local businesses.”
Analysts say the decision could ripple through Nigeria’s labor market, where most states have struggled to implement the national wage floor amid dwindling federal allocations and inflation now hovering above 30 percent.
Critics, however, question how Imo — a state still battling pension arrears and infrastructural challenges — will sustain the wage bill. The state government has not disclosed the projected fiscal cost of the policy or whether it will affect future hiring and capital projects.
Still, many workers in Owerri expressed relief and gratitude. “For the first time in years, I feel my effort is valued,” said Chika Nwosu, a senior clerical officer in the state civil service. “This payment will make life a bit easier.”
The Uzodimma administration insists the raise will “invigorate the local economy” by spurring consumption and encouraging small business growth. For now, the policy has brought a sense of optimism to Imo’s workforce — and renewed debate about wage equity in Nigeria’s struggling economy.