RismadarVoice Reporters
August 5, 2026
The Federal Government of Nigeria has directed that the outstanding two-month wage award owed to federal civil servants be paid on or before August 15, following a meeting between the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, and leaders of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC).
The resolution, reached during a high-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, also led to the suspension of a planned August 11 ultimatum issued by organised labour over unresolved workers’ welfare concerns, averting a potential industrial action.
According to the agreement, the outstanding wage award will be settled before the August 15 deadline, while the Federal Government also pledged to facilitate the payment of the long-awaited 40 per cent peculiar allowance through a supplementary budget.
The Ministry of Finance is expected to work with the Budget Office to secure the necessary funding for the allowance.
The meeting also addressed outstanding promotion arrears, with government officials confirming that payment processes for batches seven and nine had been resolved.
Speaking during the meeting, Oyedele stressed the importance of sustained dialogue with organised labour to strengthen industrial harmony and ensure prompt resolution of workers’ welfare issues.
The labour delegation was led by Comrade Kabiru Ado, National President of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) and National Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), who represented the National Chairman of the JNPSNC.
Also speaking, the National Secretary of the JNPSNC, Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga, said the council’s intervention was aimed at preventing an industrial crisis, noting that workers were prepared to protest at the Ministry of Finance before the meeting was convened.
He attributed the earlier ultimatum to the ministry’s failure to respond to several communications from the union and urged government agencies to honour agreements reached with workers and maintain effective communication with labour representatives.
Following the outcome of the meeting, Gbenga announced the suspension of the August 11 ultimatum but warned that organised labour would closely monitor the implementation of all agreements reached.
He cautioned that any failure to implement the resolutions would prompt workers to picket the Office of the Minister of Finance without issuing another ultimatum.
The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, including permanent secretaries, directors, special advisers and other government representatives, alongside leaders of affiliated public service unions.
