Nigeria’s leader increases wages to avert a strike that could shut down the government

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s leader has increased the wages of some government workers in last-minute efforts to appease labor unions whose planned strike this week could shut down government offices in all sectors of Africa’s largest economy. President Bola Tinubu said Sunday in a nationwide broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary that low-grade workers will in the next six months be paid an additional 25,000 naira, or $32, a month. The increase expected to take effect this month takes the minimum wage to 55,000 naira ($71), still far below the 200,000 naira ($258) the unions had requested. The unions representing Nigeria’s government workers announced they will go on an indefinite strike starting Tuesday to protest the government’s austerity measures.