By RismadarVoice Reporters – December 8, 2025
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has again positioned himself as one of the most labour-friendly Governors – having approved the payment of the 2025 13th-month salary bonus to all state workers.
Makinde made the announcement on Monday, Dec 8 2025 while inaugurating the Governing Board of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, a facility battling internal turbulence, including a strike by medical lecturers.
Confirming the development on his X handle, Governor Makinde reminded workers that the 13th-month bonus has remained a consistent tradition since he assumed office in 2019.
“The arrears on minimum wage will be paid with the December salary,” he said.
“We will pay a 13th-month salary to workers in Oyo State as we have done since 2019.”
The news immediately triggered excitement among civil servants, many of whom are still grappling with the national economic hardship and rising inflation.
Makinde’s announcement has sparked conversation in political and labour circles, with analysts describing it as:
•A bold welfare statement amid nationwide hardship
•A challenge to other states struggling to meet basic salary obligation
•A potential financial risk, depending on Oyo’s revenue trajectory for 2026
Some economists argue that the Governor is using his pro-labour posture to reinforce political capital, particularly as Oyo’s public debt profile and recurrent expenditure continue to rise.
But supporters say Makinde has consistently backed his promises with action.
“Some states can barely pay salaries. Oyo is giving bonuses. It shows prioritisation,” one labour economist told our correspondent.
The Governor also addressed the ongoing strike by medical lecturers at LAUTECH’s teaching hospital, promising that his administration would soon resolve the dispute.
Beyond the financial announcements, Makinde issued a stern task to the newly inaugurated governing board: revamp the Oyo annex of the teaching hospital within 12 months.
The board is headed by a renowned scholar, Prof. Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, with Mr. Aderemi Adediji as secretary and nine other prominent professionals in the team.
Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, on behalf of the board, pledged to transform the teaching hospital into a world-class institution.
The 13th-month salary has become one of Makinde’s signature policies. However, with rising wage obligations, subsidy removal shocks, and internal industrial disputes, questions linger:
•Can Oyo sustain annual bonus payments long-term?
•Will the gesture calm labour unions or embolden new demands?
•Can LAUTECH’s crisis be resolved without disrupting medical training and patient care?
As Oyo workers celebrate the extra pay heading into the new year, policy analysts warn that the state’s fiscal discipline and the government’s ability to manage industrial peace, will determine whether Makinde’s welfare policies become a model for the nation or a financial burden waiting to explode.
