Civil servants in Nigeria get pay rises up to 35% due to inflation

Nigeria has raised salaries for civil servants by between 25% and 35% amid to help them cope with the rising cost of living.

The lowest-paid government employee will now earn $324 (£258) a year, Reuters news agency reports.

Police and military officers are among state workers who are set to benefit from the pay rises, which will be backdated to January.

The announcement came on the eve of Wednesday's Workers' Day holiday.

However, the rate of inflation is currently more than 30% - the highest figure in nearly three decades.

The cost of food has risen even more - by 35%, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, so the pay rises mean that salaries for civil servants stay roughly the same in real terms - what it can buy in the shops and markets.

Pensions for those workers who benefit were also increased by between 20% and 28%, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) said.

The hikes come after the government recently raised the salaries of academic staff members and healthcare workers.

However, the monthly minimum wage, set by the government and which all employers are supposed to observe, has not changed since 2019, when it was put at 30,000 naira - this is now worth just $19 (£15) after a sharp fall in the value of the naira over recent months.

The government also recently increased electricity tariffs for consumers who use the most power as it seeks to wean the economy off subsidies that have weighed heavily on public finances.

The trade union umbrella group, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), welcomed the latest pay increase but urged the government to ensure that it was reflective of the harsh economic situation in the country.

"These categories of workers are already in the privileged sector but we expect it to be extended also to other categories of civil servants who are in lower cadre and are vulnerable," NLC spokesman Comrade Benson Upah told local media.

Negotiations are ongoing between the government and the main labour unions about an increase in the minimum wage.

Food prices as well as the prices of goods and services have doubled in many parts of the country since the removal of a fuel subsidy last year.

Petrol shortages have worsened in Nigeria's major cities, with long queues observed since last week, as Africa's biggest oil producer struggled with a fuel scarcity.

Authorities blamed the shortage on supply disruptions due to logistical challenges.

Most of Nigeria's oil is exported, while the fuel which is used locally is mostly imported due to a lack of refining capacity.

By Wycliffe Muia, BBC

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Former Kwara finance commissioner arrested for N1.22 billion fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a former Commissioner for Finance in Kwara State, Ademola Banu, at the Federal High Court in Ilorin over alleged money laundering and misappropriation of state funds to the tune of N1.22 billion.

Mr Banu was arraigned before the judge, Evelyn Anyadike, on Monday, a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Tuesday said.

The defendant was alleged to have, among other sundry offences, conspired to divert the said sum during the administration of then-Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed between May 2011 and May 2019 when he served as the Commissioner for Finance.

Mr Banu was to be arraigned alongside his principal, former Governor Abdulfatah, on 23 February 2024, but the scheduled hearing was stalled because he was not in court, prompting the judge to issue a warrant of arrest against Mr Banu.

The court, on the said date, took the plea of Mr Abdulfatah on the 12-count charge preferred against him and Mr Banu.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, the two defendants – Messrs Abdulfatah and Banu – listed as the first and second defendants in the charge, were present in court.

When the case was called, A. A. Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), announced the appearance for Mr Abdulfatah, while Gboyega Oyewole, a SAN, for Mr Banu, and the prosecution team was led by Rotimi Jacobs, also a SAN.

Mr Jacobs informed the court that the second defendant, who was unavailable at the last sitting when his co-defendant, Mr Abdulfatah, was arraigned, was finally in court to take his plea.

In response, Mr Banu’s lawyer, Mr Oyewole, prayed the court to discharge the bench warrant earlier issued against his client, which Mr Jacobs did not oppose.

In a bench ruling, the judge vacated the bench warrant on the second defendant, setting the stage for his arraignment.

Thereafter, Mr Banu pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

Following his plea, Mr Oyewole applied for his client’s bail. He prayed the court to grant the application on liberal terms, citing Mr Banu’s medical conditions.

But, the prosecution lawyer did not oppose the bail request given the earlier ruling.
 

Bail conditions

The judge granted the second defendant bail of N20 million with two sureties in like sum.

Ms Anyadike said the sureties must have landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

She added that the sureties must deposit three passport photographs with the court’s registrar.

The sureties must also produce evidence of payment of electricity bills for the last three months.

Furthermore, the judge ordered that the sum of N5 million must be paid as a bond into the litigation account of the Federal High Court by the defendant, which will be returned to him after the final determination of the case but forfeited to the federal government in the event the defendant jumps bail.

The judge also ordered the defendant to deposit his passport with the court.

She said Mr Banu must not travel without the court’s permission but may apply for it on medical grounds.

Thereafter, the judge ordered the defendant to be remanded in the custody of the EFCC, pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

The case has been adjourned to 25 and 26 June for trial.

Premium Times

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Enugu road crash leaves sixteen travellers dead

Sixteen occupants of a Toyota Hummer Bus were, on Tuesday, burnt beyond recognition when the bus burst into flames after plunging into a fence along Enugu/Opi/Nsukka Road in Ekwegbe in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday night.

Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the accident occurred at about 5:20 p.m.

The police spokesperson said the sixteen yet-to-be-identified passengers who died in the crash comprised 14 males and two females.

He said the 18-seater bus, said to have been driven at high speed, lost control and plunged into the fence of Maduka University along the road.

“A preliminary investigation reveals that the vehicle unfortunately burst into flames burning beyond recognition, the 16 deceased individuals, who were taken to the hospital and confirmed dead,” he said.

“However, two other passengers were rescued alive and taken to the hospital for medical attention by police officers, soldiers and public-spirited citizens, who immediately responded to the incident,” Mr Ndukwe stated.

He said the vehicle was loaded with edible vegetables and other food items during the crash, adding that police operatives have since recovered the items from the Igbo-Etiti Police Division.

The police spokesperson said a preliminary investigation showed that the vehicle was heading towards Nsukka from the Enugu Axis of the road, but the actual point of take-off and final destination of the vehicle have not been ascertained.

The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has visited the scene of the accident in the company of the officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Ndukwe said.

Mr Uzuegbu, he said, visited the scene alongside the FRSC officials to assess the situation.

The police commissioner, during the visit, described the accident and burning of the victims as “sad.”

He commiserated with the yet-to-be-traced family members, friends, and associates of the deceased victims.

By Chinagorom Ugwu, Premium Times

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Nigeria appoint Finidi George to succeed Peseiro

Former international Finidi George has been announced as the new head coach of Nigeria, succeeding Jose Peseiro.

The 53-year-old was placed in interim charge of the Super Eagles after the departure of the Portuguese following Nigeria's defeat by Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final in February.

George, also coach of club side Enyimba, oversaw two friendly matches last month, beating Ghana 2-1 before a 2-0 loss against Mali.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed his appointment on Monday after approving a recommendation from its technical and development committee.

Former Ajax and Real Betis winger George spent 20 months as an assistant to Peseiro and is expected to remain in charge of Enyimba, whom he led to the Nigerian title last year, until the end of the season.

George scored six goals in 62 international appearances for Nigeria and was part of the 'Golden Generation' which won the Nations Cup in 1994, the same year in which the Super Eagles appeared at the Fifa World Cup for the first time in the USA.

He will be expected to produce immediate results as Nigeria's next fixtures in June are two potentially crucial qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which will also be held in North America.

The Super Eagles' campaign needs reviving after the three-time continental champions drew their first two games in Group C.

The NFF has labelled the home match against South Africa and the game against Benin on neutral ground as "must-win encounters".

George is thought to have beaten off competition from a host of contenders for one of the most high-profile roles in African football, including former Super Eagles team-mate Emmanuel Amuneke and Spaniard Domenec Torrent, a former analyst and coach for Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola

The NFF has not announced the length of his contract.

 

Success on the pitch and in the dugout


One of Nigeria's best wingers of all time, George had a glittering career at club and international level.

He won three league titles with Ajax, who he joined in 1993, and also lifted the Uefa Champions League, Uefa Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup with the Dutch giants in 1995.

Spells at Betis, where he was a runner-up in the Copa del Rey in 1997, Mallorca and in England with Ipswich Town followed.

But he also registered several achievements with the Super Eagles after scoring on his international debut against Burkina Faso in 1991.

George netted the goal which secured Nigeria's qualification for the 1994 World Cup, going on to set up his country's first ever goal at the finals against Bulgaria.

He was also part of the squad which featured at the 1998 tournament in France.

George helped Nigeria beat Zambia 2-1 to lift the Nations Cup trophy in 1994 and was part of the squads which finished as runners-up in 2000 and as bronze medallists in 1992 and 2002.

He took over at Nigeria's most successful club Enyimba in 2021, leading them to their first title in four years by winning the league two years later.

The NFF's decision to choose Finidi George is not much of a surprise, although Emmanuel Amuneke was a fan favourite and a leading candidate to replace Jose Peseiro.

The recent friendlies against West African rivals Ghana and Mali were an audition which the new coach passed despite mixed results and George must now meet some high demands.

First up are 2026 World Cup qualifiers which take on even more importance after the Super Eagles missed out on the last edition of the finals in Qatar.

George will be tasked with putting together a team capable of delivering a fourth Nations Cup title, improving on the second place finish in Ivory Coast this year.

As an exciting winger in his playing days, he is expected to bring a new style of play - utilising and effectively managing the talented squad at his disposal as well as nurturing players in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

George will continue to combine his roles as coach of the national team and defending NPFL champions Enyimba, who sit second in the table with six games remaining.

Meanwhile, the fact the NFF has overlooked Amuneke again will spark debate among fans of the Super Eagles

The 1994 African player of the year masterminded Nigeria's Under-17 World Cup triumph in 2015 with players like Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze, who are now an integral part of the senior squad.

The former Barcelona forward also led Tanzania to qualification for the 2019 Nations Cup.

BBC

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