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FULL LIST: States Paying Above N70,000 Minimum Wage

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In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu approved an increase in the minimum wage for Nigerian workers from N30,000 to N70,000.

However, the implementation across states has been gradual, with some still yet to adopt the new minimum wage.

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While a number of states have pledged to meet the N70,000 minimum wage, others have gone further, committing to pay amounts higher than the federal mandate.

Below is a list of states that have announced plans to pay above N70,000:

Lagos State:

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On October 16, 2024, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced a new minimum wage of N85,000 for Lagos State workers, N15,000 above the federal minimum. He cited the high cost of living in Lagos as a factor and expressed a goal to raise the minimum to N100,000 by January 2025.

READ ALSO: Top 10 Countries In Africa Where Workers Earn Highest Salaries

Ogun State:

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Governor Dapo Abiodun approved a minimum wage of N77,000 on October 15, 2024, according to a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi.

Gombe State:

The state government and the Nigeria Labour Congress signed an agreement on October 14, 2024, to raise the minimum wage to N71,451.15.

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Ondo State:

On October 12, 2024, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa announced a minimum wage increase to N73,000 for state workers during his campaign kickoff ahead of the November 16 governorship election.

READ ALSO: Jonathan Knocks Judiciary Over Verdicts On Political Cases

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Kogi State:

Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, approved N72,500 minimum wage for civil servants in the state with immediate effect. The governor also suspended the tax burden on the approved sum for one year.

The following states have agreed to adopt the N70,000 wage:

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Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, disclosed that the state will commence the payment of the N70,000 minimum wage from October 2024.

Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, said his administration is committed to implementing the new minimum wage.

In September, Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, approved the payment of N70,000 minimum wage to civil servants under the employ of the state.

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READ ALSO: LP Members Jubilate As INEC Obeys Court Order Invites Abure

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State approved the new monthly minimum wage of N70,000 for state and local government workers in August.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State declared that his administration would commence the payment of the minimum wage once the issue of consequential salary adjustment has been addressed.

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Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, announced that the state will commence payment of the new minimum wage starting October 2024.

Osun State and Benue State have also expressed readiness to adopt the new minimum wage.

However, some states, such as Jigawa, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa, have yet to announce the implementation of the new minimum wage.

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Leader Of UK Christian Group Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Women

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Chris Brain, 68, the leader of a UK Christian group once backed by the Church of England, has been convicted of sexually abusing nine women in his congregation.

A jury delivered the final verdicts on Thursday.

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‎Brain led the Nine O’Clock Service, an evangelical movement in Sheffield during the 1980s and 1990s. The group was known for its nightclub-style worship, held at 9 p.m. on Sundays, which included live music and drew large crowds of young people.

‎Prosecutors said Brain used his authority to control members of the congregation, isolating them from family and friends, and used his position to commit sexual assaults. He also maintained a group of young women known as the “lycra nuns” who assisted him, his wife, and his daughter at home, prosecutor Tim Clark told the court.

READ ALSO:UK Bans Sanex Advert For Calling Black Skin ‘Problematic’, White Skin ‘Superior’

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‎The leader of the UK Christian group was charged with 36 counts of indecent assault and one count of rape involving 13 women between 1981 and 1995. He denied the charges, claiming any sexual contact was consensual.

‎Following a trial at Inner London Crown Court, he was convicted of 17 counts of indecent assault against nine women. He was acquitted of 15 other charges, while the jury could not reach a verdict on four additional indecent assault charges and the rape allegation. The Crown Prosecution Service said it would “carefully consider” whether to seek a retrial.

‎The Nine O’Clock Service had received approval from the Church of England. In 1990, the Archbishop of Canterbury-elect George Carey met with Brain to discuss his methods, and his ordination was expedited. Prosecutors said the group even spent heavily to purchase the costume worn by Robert De Niro in the 1986 film The Mission for his ceremony.

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READ ALSO:Russia Returns Bodies Of 1,000 Ukrainian Soldiers

‎Brain resigned shortly before a BBC documentary aired in 1995, accusing him of inappropriate sexual behaviour. Carey later said he was “crushed and let down” when the allegations became public.

‎In court, Brain admitted to receiving massages from congregation members that sometimes became sexual but denied manipulating or controlling them.

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‎Bishop of Sheffield Pete Wilcox said in a statement: “What happened was an appalling abuse of power and leadership that should never have occurred. Where concerns were raised in the past and were not acted upon properly, that was a failing of the Church. For those institutional failures, I offer an unreserved apology.”

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Russia Claims More Ukraine Land As Hopes For Summit Fade

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Russia on Saturday said its forces had taken two villages in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, increasing the military pressure as world leaders struggle to broker an end to the conflict.

South Africa added its voice to those calling for a summit between Ukraine and Russia.

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Russian forces are slowly advancing in the embattled eastern region of Donetsk, grinding closer to Kyiv’s key defensive line in costly metre-for-metre battles.

Moscow’s defence ministry said on Telegram that its forces had captured the villages of Sredneye and Kleban-Byk.

The taking of Kleban-Byk would mark a further advance towards Kostiantynivka — a key fortified town on the road to Kramatorsk, where a major Ukrainian logistics base is located.

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READ ALSO:Top Russian General Seriously Wounded In Ukraine – Officials

On Friday, Russia said its troops had captured three villages in the Donetsk region it claimed to have annexed in September 2022.

On Saturday, Ukrainian military officials said its forces had stopped a Russian advance and recaptured the village of Zeleny Gai in the Donetsk region in a post to Telegram.

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In July, Russia claimed the capture of the village, on the border with Dnipropetrovsk, adding that it was an important stronghold used by Ukraine to protect the area.

– Ramaphosa backs summit –
The latest Russian advances come as hopes dim for a summit between Russian and Ukrainian presidents — a solution championed by US President Donald Trump as part of his efforts to end the conflict.

READ ALSO:Russian Politicians Mock European Leaders After White House, Ukraine Talks

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday added his voice to calls for a Russia-Ukraine summit during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

President Ramaphosa stressed the urgency of holding bilateral and trilateral meetings between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine and the United States as key to signal a firm commitment to ending the war,” said a statement from his office.

Ramaphosa, who currently chairs the G20, also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, the statement added. He will speak with other European leaders in the coming weeks.

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Ramaphosa spoke on Monday with Vladimir Putin, whom he described in October at the BRICS summit as a “dear ally” and a “valued friend”.

READ ALSO:Ex-Chadian PM Masra Jailed For Hate Speech, Xenophobia

However, for the first time since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, South Africa earlier this year backed a UN resolution declaring that Russia had launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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Zelensky said he had told Ramaphosa he was ready for any kind of meeting with Putin.

However, we see that Moscow is once again trying to drag everything out even further,” he said on X.

He called on the Global South to send “relevant signals and (push) Russia toward peace”.

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On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said “no meeting” was planned as Trump’s mediation efforts appeared to stall, while Zelensky accused Russia of trying to prolong the offensive.

AFP

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US Suspends Work Visas For Nigerian, Foreign Truck Drivers

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The United States government has suspended the issuance of work visas for Nigerian and other foreign truck drivers, citing job security concerns and safety risks for American citizens.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision on Thursday, saying it takes immediate effect.

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According to him, the rising number of foreign truck drivers on U.S. highways is both threatening lives and reducing opportunities for American truckers.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: US Visa Restrictions On ECOWAS Countries Threaten Regional Prosperity — FG

Effective immediately, we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers.

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“The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio said.

The move comes under President Donald Trump’s renewed clampdown on immigration since returning to office in January 2025.

READ ALSO:US Visa Adjudication Sparks Concerns Over Diplomatic Relations

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As part of new measures, travellers from countries with high visa overstay rates or weak travel databases will be required to pay a bond of $5,000 to $15,000 before obtaining certain categories of visas.

The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria also directed all visa applicants to disclose their social media handles from the past five years, warning that failure to comply could result in denial of applications and possible ineligibility for future visas.

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