‎Oyo pays ₦18bn monthly salaries as NLC ranks state 4th in workers’ welfare ‎ ‎

‎Ibadan, Nigeria — April 30, 2026
‎The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo State has been described as one of the most forward-looking and mature labour unions in recent times, as the state government revealed it now pays over ₦18 billion in monthly salaries to its workforce.
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‎The Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, made this known during a courtesy visit by the Ministry’s management team to the NLC Secretariat in Ibadan as part of activities marking the Workers’ Day celebrations.
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‎Oyelade, who recalled covering the historic formation of the NLC in 1978 when Hassan Sunmonu emerged as its pioneer president, said the current Oyo State NLC leadership has demonstrated exceptional commitment to fostering a harmonious relationship between government and workers.
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‎He noted that Governor Seyi Makinde has consistently fulfilled his 2019 pledge to ensure prompt salary payments on or before the 25th of every month, a promise that initially drew skepticism.
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‎According to Oyelade, the administration has sustained this commitment for 84 consecutive months, while also introducing a 13th-month salary and implementing three salary increases despite a significant expansion in the workforce.
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‎“With over 130,000 employees, Oyo State now has the largest workforce across the South-West, South-East, and South-South regions,” he said.
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‎He added that the state’s monthly wage bill now exceeds ₦18 billion—an increase of more than 800 percent from 2019—while its internally generated revenue has grown to over ₦103 billion, supporting infrastructure development and social interventions.
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‎The commissioner commended the NLC for its continued support of the administration and congratulated workers on the occasion of Workers’ Day.
‎In his remarks, Oyo State NLC Chairman, Kayode Martins, said the Makinde administration has made deliberate efforts to improve workers’ welfare and restore dignity to retirees.
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‎He highlighted the government’s structured approach to gratuity payments, noting that annual provisions were increased from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion to address outstanding arrears.
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‎He added that the governor has pledged to clear any remaining backlog by May 2027.
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‎Martins said the reforms have significantly reduced hardship among retirees and boosted confidence among serving workers regarding their post-service benefits.
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‎He also praised the government for reabsorbing previously disengaged workers and approving backlog promotions, describing both measures as morale-boosting and corrective steps.
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‎The NLC chairman further disclosed that Oyo State now pays a minimum wage above the federal benchmark of ₦70,000 and has risen from 32nd to 4th position nationally in workers’ welfare indicators.
‎He described the simultaneous implementation of wage increases and pension reforms as a landmark achievement in labour relations, adding that workers remain committed to supporting the administration through improved productivity and service delivery.
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‎The visit formed part of activities marking this year’s Workers’ Day, celebrating the contributions of workers to the state’s development.