Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has raised the state’s minimum wage to ₦75,000. That’s ₦5,000 higher than the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000 recently proposed by the federal government.
He made the announcement on Thursday, May 1, during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held in Benin City.
“Today, I am proud to announce that our administration has approved a new minimum wage of ₦75,000 per month for Edo workers,” the governor said.
Okpebholo said the raise is to reward workers for their efforts and to improve their quality of life.
“It’s our way of saying thank you, Edo workers,” he added. “We believe this will make a real difference, and in return, we count on your renewed dedication as we build a better Edo together.”
The new wage will benefit thousands of public sector workers in the state. Civil servants in Edo had been earning a minimum of ₦40,000 since 2022 when former Governor Godwin Obaseki raised the benchmark. Okpebholo’s increase now positions Edo as one of the few states ahead of the national minimum wage rate.
More Teachers, Health Workers Hired
Governor Okpebholo used the May Day celebration to list what he called his early moves to improve public service.
He said his administration converted many casual workers to full-time civil servants.
“We hired 500 new teachers to ease classroom pressure and help students learn better,” he said.
Workers Day Celebration Highlights — A Celebration of Service, Strength & Solidarity!#ANewEdoHasRisen#PracticalGovernance#ProjectSHINE pic.twitter.com/gmao6OJJ71
— Senator Monday Okpebholo (@m_akpakomiza) May 1, 2025
He added that over 3,000 teachers working on a casual basis are being reviewed for possible full employment.
“Their efforts will shape our children’s future,” he said.
In the healthcare sector, Okpebholo said the government has approved the hiring of 450 new staff, both clinical and non-clinical.
“We also regularized 126 contract staff at the Edo State Specialist Hospital,” he said. “These steps not only strengthen our health system but also improve job stability for health professionals.”
He reminded the crowd that workers are the engine of government progress.
“We want Edo to lead the way in service delivery, and we can only achieve that with happy and motivated workers,” Okpebholo told the cheering crowd.
Labour unions in the state have welcomed the increase but said they will monitor how quickly the new salary structure is implemented across ministries and local governments.
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