Nigerian public sector wages no longer cover essential expenses
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Dailytrust
In Nigeria, civil servants say minimum wages of between 62,000 and 85,000 naira no longer cover essential expenses, and some are going into debt or taking on several jobs. The average bus fare in Nigerian cities reached 1,431.25 naira in May 2026, up 38.63% year on year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
Minimum wages paid to civil servants in several Nigerian states, ranging from 62,000 to 85,000 naira, are no longer enough to cover food, housing, transport, education and healthcare costs, Nigerian newspaper Daily Trust reports. Many employees say their income runs out before the end of the month, amid Nigeria’s inflation.
The pressure is particularly severe for workers in the lowest-paid categories. Some borrow from cooperatives, banks or colleagues, while others rely on farming, small businesses or additional jobs to provide for their families, according to Daily Trust.
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Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
