Sowore backs N500k minimum wage, ends waste, overhauls power
Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, said Nigeria can afford a N500,000 monthly minimum wage by cutting government waste, recovering unpaid oil royalties and blocking financial leakages. Speaking virtually from the United States on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday (September 17, 2026), he said the proposal would raise the federal wage bill by about N7.1 trillion but funds could be generated through reforms, with N3–N4 trillion saved from eliminating waste and additional resources from oil royalties and leakages. He argued higher wages would boost workers’ purchasing power and stimulate economic activity. Sowore also promised to dismantle the national electricity grid and replace it with regional grids powered by solar, gas, hydro and biogas, targeting over 60,000 megawatts to restore industrial productivity and deliver uninterrupted electricity within three years. On governance, he proposed blockchain-based systems to monitor spending, telemedicine to reduce medical brain drain, free technology-driven education, agricultural reforms and infrastructure development, and said his administration would not establish an official Office of the First Lady, calling the position unconstitutional. The AAC candidate, who previously ran in 2019 and 2023, framed his platform around anti-corruption, economic reforms and welfare for workers. While the wage plan raises questions about states, local governments and businesses sustaining such costs given varying revenue capacities, Sowore insists wider productivity reforms will accompany the proposal. Will you support a N500k minimum wage if paired with anti-corruption measures and electricity overhaul, or worry about affordability for states and businesses?