By Olaide Ajibola, JKNMedia Reporter
ANNOUNCING a paradigm shift in civil service remuneration, the Federal Government of Nigeria has revealed plans on Monday to introduce a wage system tied to employee productivity.
Under this proposed framework, individuals at the same job level could potentially earn varying salaries, reflecting their respective contributions to productivity.
Nasir Raji-Mustapha, the Director-General of the National Productivity Centre, disclosed these plans during a meeting with Labour correspondents, emphasizing the critical role of productivity in driving economic growth.
“We are in the process of developing a productivity-led wage system that will ensure that those who are productive are rewarded for their efforts, irrespective of their grade level,” stated Raji-Mustapha. “Under the proposed system, employees on the same salary scale can earn different wages.”
Responding to inquiries about labour union involvement in the initiative, Raji-Mustapha underscored the collaborative nature of the project, emphasizing the active engagement of labour stakeholders since its inception.
“Labour, as a critical stakeholder, is being carried along in this exercise,” he affirmed. “When we started the project about three or four years ago, we held a stakeholders’ forum in which the labour unions participated. We even went further to send a memo to the NLC and TUC to ask them whether they will support the proposed wage system and they said they would welcome it.”
Raji-Mustapha revealed that the first phase of the study had concluded, with the subsequent stage involving consultations with diverse stakeholders to gather input before presenting the finalized proposal to the Federal Government for consideration.
Highlighting international collaboration efforts, Raji-Mustapha mentioned partnerships with renowned organizations such as the International Labour Organisation, Japanese International Cooperation Agency, Africa Productivity Association, and Asia Productivity Association. These collaborations aim to enhance the productivity and skills of Nigerian workers, thereby bolstering the nation’s economy.
Moreover, Raji-Mustapha outlined initiatives targeting youth productivity, including advocacy programmes at National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps. He noted the revitalization of productivity promotion activities within NYSC camps as part of the Centre’s broader youth engagement strategy.
The National Productivity Summit, scheduled to commence in Abuja on Tuesday, will feature Vice President Kashim Shettima as the keynote speaker, further underscoring the government’s commitment to advancing productivity-driven policies.
