Ibadan IT Worker Exposes Shocking Low Wages at Biscuit Company
A young Nigerian man has sparked a heated debate by sharing his distressing experience during industrial training at a biscuit production company in Ibadan, Oyo State. He revealed the shockingly low salaries paid to local workers, highlighting a stark contrast with foreign staff earnings.
Man Details Meager Payments During Industrial Training
In a tweet on March 26, 2026, the individual, using the X handle @stayEminent, disclosed that he was paid only N5,000 every two weeks and N10,000 monthly while completing his IT program at the biscuit firm. This amounts to approximately $3.5 biweekly and $7 monthly, underscoring the dire financial conditions faced by many Nigerian workers.
What truly devastated him was learning the salaries of permanent and contract employees at the same company. Permanent workers received a mere N30,000 monthly, equivalent to about $21, while contract workers earned N20,000 monthly, roughly $14. Supervisors made between N50,000 and N60,000 monthly, depending on tenure, translating to $30-$40.
Senior staff were the only ones earning slightly above the minimum wage, with monthly figures ranging from N80,000 to N150,000, or $60-$90, also based on years of service. The man expressed deep frustration, stating that this salary structure applied only to Nigerian employees.
Foreign Workers Earn Five Times More Than Nigerians
The situation became even more alarming when he discovered that foreign staff at the biscuit company were paid significantly higher wages. He noted that the lowest-earning foreign worker earned five times more than the highest-paid Nigerian employee, exposing a glaring pay disparity within the same organization.
In his tweet, he lamented, "When I did my IT was when I fully grasped the hole this country Nigeria really is." He added, "What's more crazy? This salary sheet only applies to Nigerian staffs, Foreign staffs earn way more higher. For better perspective, the lowest earning foreigner earns x5 the highest earning Nigerian worker."
Public Reactions and Broader Implications
The revelation triggered widespread reactions on social media, with many users sharing similar stories of low pay and poor working conditions in Nigeria. One user, @farad_0, commented, "Real, currently doing my IT and almost all the staffs I've worked with complain about the low pay." Another, @sheyland_1, remarked, "Even in our own country, we still pay foreigners more than our own people. Until we value our own, Nigeria will still be a sh|t hole."
Discussions also turned to labor laws, with @Sarkin_Samarai urging, "We must look into the Nigerian Labour Law. The Labour Act is completely mundane and basically useless, especially with the trend of events post subsidy removal. The workers in Nigeria deserve better." This incident has amplified calls for reforms to address wage inequalities and improve worker welfare across the country.
This story follows related reports, such as a doctor who relocated to the UK discussing her earnings in Nigeria and a former UBA employee sharing his salary details after nine years of service. These accounts collectively highlight ongoing challenges in Nigeria's labor market, fueling demands for change and better compensation for local workers.
