Organised labour in the federal public service has given a Friday deadline to the federal government to meet its demands of three months’ outstanding wage award and other pending allowances owed workers in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Giving this ultimatum on Wednesday, the leadership of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, (Trade Union Side), warned that failure to meet its Friday, February 27, 2026, deadline would compel the eight unions in the civil service to take decisive action.
The unions alleged that the federal government is deliberately withholding funds meant for workers, despite agencies reportedly being ready to process payments once funds were released.
According to the unions, the wage award dispute, which has lingered for over two years, followed the federal government’s approval of a N70,000 minimum wage after the removal of fuel subsidy.
The unions revealed that while partial payments were made after sustained pressure, three months remained unpaid since July 2024, creating growing tension within the federal workforce.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the union stated: “This wage award has dragged on for over two years now since the implementation of (N70,000) Minimum Wage Payment was approved.”
They also recalled that the wage award was approved as a cushioning measure, following fuel subsidy removal and was to run until the commencement of the new minimum wage implementation in July 2024.
“It is beyond the imagination and expectations of federal workers that federal government left five months unpaid abinitio, not until there was much pressure, there and then, federal government effected the staggered payment of two months, leaving the balance of three months since July, 2024 unpaid,” it added.
