Federal civil servants across Nigeria have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to settle their outstanding three-month wage award and long-standing promotion arrears, accusing the government of neglecting workers’ welfare amid rising economic hardship.
The appeal was made by the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, and made available to journalists on Wednesday.
Emelieze said the ₦35,000 wage award, which was introduced after pressure from labour unions to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal and currency devaluation, has been paid inconsistently and remains incomplete.
“The refusal of the federal government to pay up the balance of the outstanding three months wage award, as promised by the Accountant General of the Federation, clearly shows how poorly government treats its workers,” he stated.
He added that several civil servants are still owed promotion arrears, some dating back more than a decade, describing the delay as “a long-standing injustice against federal employees.”
The FWF urged the federal government to immediately clear all arrears and introduce a cost-of-living allowance (COLA) equivalent to 30% of workers’ salaries, citing the high inflation rate and declining purchasing power.
“The current ₦70,000 minimum wage is a slave wage,” Emelieze said. “We demand its immediate review and call for the payment of the outstanding wage award and arrears. Nigerian workers deserve a fair wage that reflects today’s economic realities.”
Labour analysts warn that failure to address the wage crisis could deepen unrest within the federal workforce, already struggling with delayed payments and increasing living costs.
