State governors have called for an upward review of the national minimum wage to at least ₦100,000, as President Bola Tinubu defended his administration’s economic reforms and declared that the removal of fuel subsidy rescued Nigeria from financial collapse.
The position was made known in a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, following a meeting between President Tinubu and governors who visited him in Lagos to mark the Eid-el-Kabir celebration and the third anniversary of his administration.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said the fuel subsidy removal and fiscal reforms had strengthened the finances of states and improved their capacity to meet obligations and execute projects.
“I think the nation was shocked by the audacity of Mr President to implement that serious policy, but today, it benefited immensely from that policy.
“Many states were subject to issuing bonds and borrowing money. Today, states are not going to borrow money; they’re not going to issue Bonds. In fact, we’re reducing our debt. I urge your Excellency to let them discuss moving the minimum wage to a minimum of N100,000,” he said.
President Tinubu told the governors that the decision to end the subsidy regime was painful but unavoidable, arguing that the policy prevented the country from sliding into bankruptcy.
“It was challenging at the time, but we survived. We face litigation and accusations. We survived them. Instead of bankruptcy, Nigeria has survived. The economy has recovered. It is growing. Agriculture is booming,” the President said.
He added that years of subsidy payments drained public resources and denied key sectors the funding needed for growth.
“Today I was watching some clips of the Sokoto-Badagry axis. Imagine how many dams on that corridor for irrigation, for farm land, for electricity. Well, many of you have survived and promoted the perseverance of many of our people, asking them to trust this government, and you have built that trust around one person: my leadership. I thank you very much,” he stated.
Tinubu praised the governors for supporting his administration’s reforms, saying their cooperation helped sustain public confidence during difficult economic adjustments.
“I’m glad governors are no longer borrowing from the federal government and asking for interventions and not knowing how to survive, how to pay salaries, no more. You kept the spirit, you kept the hope. You persuaded our people to be patient and endure these three years of painful reform, during which we put the economy on a reset. Today, the benefits are showing.
“The economy has recovered. Macroeconomic indices are doing very well. Construction is ongoing on roads and infrastructure; the ones abandoned have been rehabilitated.
“The housing industry is coming on very well. Agriculture will prosper again. We will achieve food sovereignty if we utilise the land that is in your possession and in your various states effectively,” he said.
The President assured Nigerians that his administration would continue policies aimed at easing hardship, creating employment opportunities, strengthening food production and expanding economic growth.
Vice President Kashim Shettima commended Tinubu’s resolve in confronting challenges linked to fuel subsidy payments.
“Your Excellency, Mr President, this is the essence of your leadership. You did not come to power in the season of ease. You came at a time when the house required more than a canter. It required a builder with the courage to examine the foundation you inherited.
“In that defining hour, you choose not to postpone the surgery. You choose not to massage the wound. You choose to confront the contradictions that have held this country hostage for 50 years; that is the miracle of your courage.
“What you have done is not simply to administer a government. You have begun the difficult work of re-engineering a nation. You have reminded us that the reform is not a bank; it is a battlefield. It is not a picnic for the chicken-hearted. It is a covenant with the future,” Shettima said.
Also speaking, Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodinma, applauded the President’s economic policies.
“We are the frontline beneficiaries of the innovative approach you brought to bear in governance. We came to join you in thanking Almighty God who made this thing possible. You have virtually recovered Nigeria from the brink of collapse to a state of stability and survival.
“Your Excellency, we, the field officers at the subnational level, are indeed very grateful. We have assessed your performance, Mr President, and I’m happy to announce that we have scored it a 100 per cent. We thank you for the genius you are, the fatherly role you have played, your interventions in terms of our needs and your vision for the country, moving forward,” Uzodinma said.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, earlier welcomed his colleagues to Lagos and urged them to sustain their support for the President.