The Imo State Government has officially begun payment of the new ₦104,000 minimum wage to state workers, fulfilling a promise made by Governor Hope Uzodimma just weeks earlier.
Over the weekend, civil servants across the state confirmed receiving salary alerts reflecting the new wage. Many expressed gratitude to Governor Uzodimma and thanked God for the improved pay, which significantly raises the financial bar for workers in the state.
Under the revised wage structure, new state employees now earn a starting salary of ₦104,000, while medical doctors receive ₦513,000, and lecturers in state-owned tertiary institutions earn an entry-level salary of ₦220,000.
With this move, Imo State now leads the country in minimum wage implementation. Lagos State follows with ₦88,000, Rivers State at ₦85,000, while Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa are tied at ₦80,000 each. The national minimum wage remains officially pegged at ₦70,000.
In a statement released on Sunday and made available to The Telegraph, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment, Prince Eze Ugochukwu, described the wage increase as a strategic policy shift aimed at stimulating economic growth and improving worker welfare.
“Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration is spearheading this significant policy change, which is set to enhance both the economic and social well-being of Imo State,” Ugochukwu said.
“The goal is to strengthen the purchasing power of workers, enabling them to better meet their needs and invest in goods and services. This increased spending is expected to boost local businesses and energize economic activity across the state.”
According to Ugochukwu, the ripple effects of the wage increase will be “far-reaching,” positioning Imo as a model for labor policy and fiscal responsiveness among Nigerian states.
