While the Nigerian Government is currently locked in a battle with organised labour in the country over an increase in the minimum wage from N18,000 to N30,000 per month, South Africa has increased minimum wage from an equivalent of N97, 495 to N126,480 per month.
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While making the announcement, South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa said the new minimum wage would come into effect January 1, 2019; benefiting some six million workers in the country.
One South African Rand exchanges for N26.35. This means that while South African workers would be earning N527 per hour: N4,216 per day and N126,480 per month, their Nigerian counterparts currently earn N75 per hour, which is N600 per day (at eight working hours per day) and N18,000 per month.
While Nigeria may have one of the biggest economy in Africa, the size of its economy does not reflect in the lives of its citizens, especially its workforce who are one of the least paid on the continent.
When comparison is made between both countries, a Nigerian worker would be earning less than a quarter of the monthly take home of the South African worker.
On its agitation for a new minimum wage, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba said the Union would soon meet to draw up a timetable within which government would be expected to conclude work on the new minimum wage.
The tripartite committee inaugurated by the Nigerian President had presented a report to the President after months of deliberation, arriving at an agreed minimum wage of N30,000 per month.
Nigerian State Governors had however kicked against the proposed amount saying most of them were struggling to pay the current minimum wage and as such cannot afford to pay what labour demanded.
While he declined to reveal an actual timeline, the NLC President said the National Administrative Council of Congress would take a decision during its next deliberation, which might hold next week.
Labour has threatened to commence on an indefinite strike action across the country if the Presidency fails to approve the new wage.