By Afolabi Samuel Odunayo
As Nigeria braces for nationwide demonstrations on August 1, President Bola Tinubu took a significant step on Monday by signing the National Minimum Wage Bill into law.
Observers have linked this development to the federal government’s attempts to mitigate the mounting tension ahead of the planned nationwide protests.
The meeting, chaired by President Tinubu, witnessed the presence of the National Assembly’s leadership, Senator Godswill Akpabio, along with some members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Recall that on Tuesday, July 23, the Nigerian Senate swiftly passed the minimum wage amendment bill, with the legislation moving rapidly through its first, second, and third readings.
The new legislation seeks to increase the national minimum wage and shorten the interval for periodic reviews from five years to three years.
This decision followed extensive negotiations between the federal government and organized labor representatives.
