By Odesola JF
I read with dismay and listened carefully to the discussions emerging from the Governors’ Forum and other top government officials regarding the increase in the minimum wage for Nigerian workers. What should have been a straightforward matter of justice was presented as though it were an act of charity.
Listening to the debates, excuses, and negotiations raises a troubling question: Are our leaders truly serving the people, or are they serving themselves while the people serve them?
When leaders act as though paying workers a living wage is a favour rather than a responsibility, something is fundamentally wrong with the system.
Consider the reality.
Governors and top political office holders enjoy security votes that are often beyond public scrutiny. They travel in convoys funded by taxpayers. They enjoy government-funded residences, subsidized utilities, official vehicles, domestic staff, security personnel, medical privileges, and numerous allowances.
Many of them never worry about fuel prices, electricity bills, transportation costs, school fees, rent, or the daily struggles that ordinary Nigerians face.
Yet these same leaders sit around conference tables debating whether a worker who wakes up at 5 a.m., battles traffic, works diligently, and returns home exhausted deserves a minimum wage that can barely feed a family for a few weeks.
What a tragedy.
What a contradiction.
What a country.
And what selfish leadership this has become.
The Great Nigerian Paradox
Nigeria is not a poor country.
That statement must be repeated until it sinks in.
Nigeria is not a poor country.
Nigeria is blessed with enormous natural resources. According to global energy statistics, Nigeria possesses one of the world’s largest proven natural gas reserves, ranking among the top ten nations globally.
We are blessed with crude oil.
We have vast agricultural land.
We possess solid minerals.
We have a youthful and energetic population.
We have some of the brightest minds on the African continent.
Yet millions of citizens live in conditions that resemble extreme poverty.
The question is simple:
How can a nation so rich have citizens so poor?
The answer lies not in a lack of resources but in a failure of leadership, accountability, and national priorities.
The Numbers Tell a Painful Story
Let us examine some comparisons often cited in public discussions regarding wages and fuel costs.
Russia
Minimum wage: Approximately ₦480,000 monthly
Fuel: About ₦1,100 per litre
Iran
Minimum wage: Approximately ₦220,000 monthly
Fuel: Under ₦50 per litre
Qatar
Minimum wage: Approximately ₦950,000 monthly
Fuel: Under ₦200 per litre
Turkmenistan
Minimum wage: Approximately ₦550,000 monthly
Fuel remains heavily subsidized and affordable.
United States
Minimum wage equivalent: Around ₦1,800,000 monthly for a full-time worker
Fuel: Around ₦2,800 per litre
China
Minimum wage in top provinces: Approximately ₦650,000 monthly
Fuel: Around ₦1,400 per litre
Saudi Arabia
Minimum wage: Approximately ₦1,950,000 monthly
Fuel: Under ₦300 per litre
United Arab Emirates
Minimum wage equivalent: Approximately ₦2,750,000 monthly
Fuel: Around ₦1,000 per litre
Nigeria
Minimum wage: ₦70,000 monthly
Fuel: Approximately ₦1,300 per litre
The comparison is painful.
The average Nigerian worker earns one of the lowest wages among major resource-producing nations while paying fuel prices comparable to, and sometimes higher than, countries whose citizens earn several times more.
How does this make sense?
Who exactly is benefiting from the nation’s wealth?
Certainly not the average worker.
Certainly not the struggling teacher.
Certainly not the civil servant.
Certainly not the pensioner.
Certainly not the farmer facing insecurity.
Certainly not the graduate searching endlessly for employment.
The Daily Reality of Nigerians
A worker earning ₦70,000 monthly faces impossible choices.
Should they pay rent?
Should they buy food?
Should they pay transportation costs?
Should they purchase medication?
Should they pay children’s school fees?
Should they pay electricity bills?
Should they buy data to remain connected in a digital economy?
The truth is that ₦70,000 today cannot sustain a family in most parts of Nigeria.
Inflation continues to rise.
Food prices continue to rise.
Transportation costs continue to rise.
Housing costs continue to rise.
School fees continue to rise.
Healthcare costs continue to rise.
Everything is increasing except the purchasing power of the ordinary citizen.
Yet many political office holders continue to enjoy privileges insulated from these realities.
Leadership Must Feel the People’s Pain
One of the greatest problems in Nigeria today is the growing disconnect between leaders and citizens.
A leader who never buys fuel cannot understand the pain of fuel subsidy removal.
A leader who never visits a public hospital cannot appreciate the collapse of healthcare services.
A leader whose children study abroad may not understand the crisis in public education.
A leader protected by layers of security may not fully grasp the fear ordinary citizens experience from insecurity.
History teaches us that great nations emerge when leaders identify with the struggles of their people rather than separate themselves from them.
True leadership is not about power.
True leadership is about service.
True leadership is about sacrifice.
True leadership is about accountability.
True leadership is about ensuring that the weakest citizen can live with dignity.
The Cost of Political Deception
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of our national conversation is the attempt by some politicians and their supporters to convince citizens that everything is working perfectly.
They celebrate statistics while people struggle.
They celebrate policies while businesses close.
They celebrate achievements while unemployment rises.
They celebrate growth while hunger expands.
Citizens are repeatedly told that progress is occurring even when their lived experiences suggest otherwise.
But Nigerians are not blind.
They see the condition of the roads.
They see the state of hospitals.
They see the insecurity.
They see the unemployment.
They see the hardship.
They see the corruption scandals.
They see the widening gap between political elites and ordinary citizens.
The reality cannot be hidden by press conferences, social media campaigns, or political propaganda.
A Nation at a Crossroads
Nigeria stands at a critical moment in its history.
The frustration among young people is growing.
The middle class is shrinking.
Many professionals are leaving the country.
Businesses are struggling under economic pressure.
Investors seek stability and confidence.
Citizens desire hope.
The future of Nigeria depends largely on whether leaders are willing to make difficult decisions that prioritize national interest above personal comfort and political advantage.
The nation does not need more speeches.
The nation needs action.
The nation does not need more promises.
The nation needs results.
The nation does not need more excuses.
The nation needs accountability.
Who Are You Deceiving?
When workers are underpaid while politicians live extravagantly, who are you deceiving?
When citizens suffer while leaders celebrate, who are you deceiving?
When fuel prices rise while incomes remain stagnant, who are you deceiving?
When insecurity spreads while officials claim everything is under control, who are you deceiving?
When public trust is eroded by repeated failures and unfulfilled promises, who are you deceiving?
Certainly not the people.
Nigerians may be patient, but they are not foolish.
They know the difference between genuine leadership and political performance.
They know the difference between service and self-interest.
They know the difference between reality and propaganda.
The time has come for leaders at every level to remember that public office is a sacred trust, not a personal entitlement.
History will not remember how many convoys a governor had.
History will not remember how many aides a politician employed.
History will not remember how many ceremonies were attended.
History will remember whether leaders improved the lives of the people entrusted to their care.
And until that happens, millions of Nigerians will continue to ask one simple question:
Who are you deceiving?
