Uzodimma Raises Imo Workers’ Minimum Wage to ₦104,000, Approves Pension Payments
Story Written by Peterson August 27,2025
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has approved a new minimum wage of ₦104,000 for civil servants in the state.
The governor made the announcement on Tuesday night during a meeting with labour union leaders at the Government House, Owerri.
The wage increase raises the state minimum wage from ₦76,000 to ₦104,000. Salaries for doctors also rose from ₦215,000 to ₦503,000, while lecturers in tertiary institutions saw their pay adjusted from ₦119,000 to ₦222,000, among other categories of workers.
Commitment to Workers’ Welfare
Uzodimma said the wage review reflects his administration’s determination to improve workers’ welfare despite economic challenges such as insecurity, COVID-19 impacts, subsidy removal, and other reforms.
“When workers are paid well, productivity rises, families are happier, and the local economy grows. This is our way of investing in Imo people,” he said.
The governor also disclosed that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has grown significantly, from ₦400 million to over ₦3 billion monthly, while federal allocations increased from about ₦7 billion in 2020 to ₦14 billion. He noted that the state’s debt profile had been reduced from over ₦280 billion to less than ₦100 billion.
Pensioners and Healthcare Reforms
Uzodimma revealed that the state government would begin paying the last batch of gratuities—amounting to ₦16 billion—to pensioners starting August 27.
He also highlighted reforms in the health sector, including the launch of a state health insurance scheme and the equipping of hospitals for better service delivery.
Labour Leaders React
The Imo State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Uchechigemezu Nwigwe, described the wage increment as a victory for the state’s workforce.
“Today, no worker in Imo will say you have not been fair to us,” he said, pledging workers’ continued diligence and efficiency.
With the new structure, Imo becomes one of the states offering the highest minimum wage to workers in Nigeria.
