Sowore Calls for ₦500,000 Minimum Wage to Ease Hardship for Nigerian Workers
- Former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has urged Nigeria to adopt a ₦500,000 minimum wage, saying workers deserve fair pay
- He stressed that police officers, soldiers, teachers, doctors, nurses, and other public servants should earn a living wage
- Sowore added that those in critical sectors must receive extra allowances to reflect their risks and sacrifices
On May 28, 2026, former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore took to X to make a bold statement about Nigeria’s wage structure.
He argued that Nigerian workers deserve a minimum wage of ₦500,000, stressing that this amount is not excessive given the rising cost of living.
Source: Facebook
Workers in critical sectors
Sowore highlighted the importance of fair pay for those serving in essential roles. He specifically mentioned police officers, soldiers, teachers, doctors, nurses, and other public servants. According to him, these groups not only deserve a living wage but also additional allowances to reflect the risks and sacrifices they make.
“A minimum wage of ₦500,000 is not too much for Nigerian workers. Police officers, soldiers, teachers, doctors, nurses, and other public servants deserve a living wage and those in critical sectors must earn additional allowances for the risks, sacrifices, and essential services they provide.”
The call for a higher minimum wage comes at a time when many Nigerians are struggling with inflation and rising costs of basic goods. Sowore’s statement adds weight to ongoing debates about wage reform and the need to ensure that workers can live decently on their earnings.
Source: Facebook
Who is Sowore?
Omoyele Sowore is a Nigerian activist, journalist, and politician best known for founding Sahara Reporters and leading the African Action Congress (AAC). He has consistently positioned himself as a voice for democracy, accountability, and social justice in Nigeria.
Omoyele Sowore was born on February 16, 1971, in Ondo State, Nigeria. He studied Geography and Planning at the University of Lagos, where he became deeply involved in student activism, serving as president of the Student Union Government between 1992 and 1994. His activism often put him at odds with authorities, leading to arrests and suspensions. Later, he earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia University in the United States.
Sowore founded Sahara Reporters in 2006, an online news platform based in New York, dedicated to exposing corruption and abuse of power in Nigeria. The platform quickly became influential, known for fearless investigative journalism.
In 2018, Sowore established the African Action Congress (AAC) and contested the 2019 presidential election, finishing fifth with 33,953 votes. He ran again in 2023, securing 14,608 votes. Despite limited electoral success, he has remained a prominent opposition figure.
See the X post below:
Sowore’s AAC kicks off presidential primary
Legit.ng earlier reported that the presidential primary of the African Action Congress (AAC) began in Abuja on Tuesday, May 26, as party members and supporters gathered at the National Centre for Women Development in the Central Business District.
Videos shared on X showed a hall filled with young people ahead of the exercise. A voice heard in one of the videos said the primary would begin in a few hours and that members were waiting for the arrival of the party’s National Working Committee.
Source: Legit.ng
