Nigeria’s minimum monthly wage – ₦30,000 – is so low that it would not cover the basic nutritional needs of one adult, let alone those for a whole family.
This was the finding in a report published on Thursday, January 20, by the international e-commerce company, Picodi, in which its analysts checked how the minimum wage rates had changed in 64 countries and whether such amounts could ensure a minimum standard of living in any given country. Nigeria was one of the countries.
The report said that for the purpose of the study, its analysts created a list of basic food products and compared the prices of the products with the minimum wage.
“The list consists of eight product groups: bread, milk, eggs, rice, cheese, meat, fruits and vegetables. The list is very limited, but in the amounts indicated, these products are sufficient to meet the minimum nutrient requirements of the average adult,” the report stated.
- Milk (10 litres) – ₦11,470
- Bread (10 500g loaves) – ₦4,310
- Rice (1,5kg) – ₦1,470
- Eggs (20) – ₦1,120
- Cheese (1kg) – ₦1,950
- Poultry and beef (6kg) – ₦9,790
- Fruits (6kg) – ₦4,680
- Vegetables (8kg) – ₦6,190
Picodi said the value of basic food products at the beginning of this year in Nigeria was ₦40,980, 15.89% more than at the beginning of 2021.
The research showed that the minimum wage could not cover the minimum nutritional needs of one adult person in a month, forget about a whole family and not counting rent, household provisions, schooling and transport, among others.
In April 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the new minimum wage bill into law, taking it from ₦27,000 to ₦30,000.
RNI reporter Fatima Grema Modu spoke to residents in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, which has been the region most hit by the insurgency and where prices of food and other essential items had skyrocketed as a result.
Kolo Umar, a civil servant, said that on his low salary he could not cater for all the family’s needs each month.
“As soon as I get my salary I pay my debt, pay for my children’s school fees, their transportation, shopping and medication. Only ₦20,000 is left which does not last a month. I can’t even build a house with the income – we just have to manage with what we have.”
Baba Ibrahim Alkali said he earned ₦30,000 a month and could not buy a house as the prices had increased “compared with before”.
“We don’t eat meat anymore, instead we buy beans, but even the price of beans has increased. I do not get paid enough to make it through a month.”
Muhammad Shuwa, a nurse at the New GRA Clinic in Maiduguri, said ideally people should have carbohydrates, fat and oil, protein and vitamins to keep them healthy and to build up their immune systems, which protected them from illness.
“Because of the high price of food, one has to earn at least ₦100,000 a month to eat well and take good care of one’s body. Good food helps to prevent diseases that might attack the immune system, which is made up of special organs, cells and chemicals that fight infection. People should not eat sweets, they should eat healthily and spend their money on nutritious food,” he said.
Economist Tijjani Mukhtar said inflation had hit everyone and it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to survive on ₦30,000 a month.
“Living in Nigeria is hard for the common man – inflation affects everyone. To make a profit sellers increase the prices of their goods and buyers suffer because they can no longer afford what they used to be able to get for their money.”
