Even Newborn Baby Can’t Survive On ₦70,000 Minimum Wage – Sowore

African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, Omoyele Sowore, has defended his proposal for a ₦500,000 minimum wage, saying the current ₦70,000 wage is not enough for Nigerians to meet their basic needs.

Sowore made the remarks on Friday while speaking as a guest on Rapid FM in Rivers State, where he responded to concerns that a sharp increase in wages could worsen inflation. (Sahara Reporters)

The activist dismissed the argument that higher wages would be the main driver of inflation, saying Nigeria was experiencing what he described as “cost-push inflation” caused by rising production and living costs.

“There’s nobody technically, or realistically, that can live on ₦70,000 a month, even a newborn baby,” Sowore said.

He said even the ₦500,000 minimum wage he is proposing should not be considered excessive given current economic realities.

“Even the ₦500,000 I’m proposing, in my view, it’s too small. But just for the sake of argument, say, okay, let’s pay people just enough to be able to make a living. That’s what the proposal is about.”

According to Sowore, high electricity tariffs, transportation costs, imported goods and the depreciation of the naira were among the major factors pushing up prices.

“It’s driven by cost. The type of inflation we have is called cost-push inflation. And it is because the cost of production is very high,” he said.

He linked the rise in transportation costs to the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that increased fuel prices had been passed on to businesses and consumers.

“It is caused by transportation cost. As a result of the removal of fuel subsidy, wherever you were going for ₦500 before, it became ₦2,000. That’s the cost of your inflation.”

Sowore also blamed the naira’s depreciation and Nigeria’s reliance on imports for the rising cost of goods and services.

“When they just came and floated the naira, at the same time they removed subsidy. That’s the cause of inflation,” he said.

He argued that the government should focus on reducing production costs instead of keeping workers’ wages low.

“If you want to change the direction of that inflation, you have to deal with this. You have to reduce electricity tariff. You have to bring back fuel subsidy. That would then force down the cost of transportation and reduce the cost of production,” Sowore said.

The AAC candidate further argued that Nigeria’s high production costs were making locally produced goods increasingly uncompetitive.

He said the situation could become so severe that importing basic commodities would be cheaper than producing them locally.

“It is easier for you to import garri – I just want to be ridiculous by saying from China, than to produce it in Rivers State now because the cost of production of garri in China is lower,” he said.

Sowore also rejected the argument that workers should receive higher wages only if their productivity increases.

He said employers and supervisors were responsible for ensuring workers performed their duties efficiently, while employees were entitled to adequate compensation for their labour.

“The argument as to whether the civil servants are doing work or not is not the argument we are having. That one is regulatory. That is the job of the supervisor,” he said.

He further criticised government spending on political office holders, particularly official convoys, allowances and security votes.

“What has the Nigerian worker done wrong to you that you cannot take a little bit now?” he asked.

Sowore said reducing the cost of governance could create resources to improve workers’ wages without necessarily worsening inflation.

He illustrated the pressure faced by workers by comparing the cost of daily meals with the current minimum wage.

“If you eat three times a day, and you are eating ₦500 food, you eat ₦1,500. When you go to work or not, you will eat,” he said.

“Multiply ₦1,500 by 30 days in a month. Are we not already past ₦70,000? Are you not going to transport yourself? Are you not going to wash your clothes?”

He maintained that workers needed sufficient income to afford food, transportation, accommodation and other necessities.

“That is the argument. It’s very simple,” he said.

Sowore also questioned the need for extensive convoys and other privileges attached to political offices.

“I don’t understand till tomorrow why a governor who is living in his house in Port Harcourt, to go to his office needs an outrider,” he said.

He added, “I don’t know why a governor should commission a project in the first place. If a project is completed, it should be commissioned by use.”

Sowore maintained that government could improve workers’ welfare by reducing wasteful spending and redirecting resources towards essential services and better remuneration.

“We waste so much money,” he said.

He insisted that employers and government must ensure workers earn enough to maintain their basic living conditions and remain able to report to work.

“The moment you have that contract, you must ensure that their living conditions are at least able to support their motivation or their ability to get to work and back,” he said.

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