The National Council of State Tuesday approved a minimum wage of N27,000 which is N3,000 short of the N30,000 earlier recommended by the tripartite committee. This sets the stage for legislation to give legal teeth to the new minimum wage regime.

Following this, a minimum wage bill is expected to be sent to the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said the Federal Government will be topping the approved amount by N3,000 to 30,000 for its workers to bring it at par with the earlier recommendation.

He said the states are at liberty to augment the new agreement according to their individual strength. The amount approved by the Council of State is N3,000 short of the N30,000 that the Tripartite Committee on Review of National Minimum Wage recommended. The committee, chaired by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms Ama Pepple, had submitted the report, which contained the recommended figure, to President Muhammadu Buhari on November 6, 2018.