BREAKING: Reps passes new minimum wage bill

The House of Representatives has passed the new National Minimum Wage bill, a day after conducting its public hearing.

The lawmakers, during plenary on Tuesday, considered the report of the ad hoc committee clause by clause.

The Senate is expected to concur with the recommendations of the House when it returns from the elections break before transmitting to the president.

The president, Muhammadu Buhari, in a letter read to the lawmakers by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, urged the amendment of the National Minimum Wage Amendment Act 2011 to raise the minimum wage from N18,000 to N27,000.

A tripartite committee set up by the government had recommended N30,000, but the council of state on Tuesday accepted that figure for federal staff and recommended N27,000 for state and private sector workers.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the N27,000. It insists on N30,000 for all workers.