FEDERAL civil servants have issued a firm ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the immediate implementation of a 40% peculiar allowance tied to the new N70,000 national minimum wage.
The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) has set March 31 as the deadline for action, warning that failure to meet this date will likely result in industrial action that could disrupt government activities nationwide.
In a strongly worded letter to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), JNPSNC’s National Chairman, Comrade Benjamin Uyantomni, and its National Secretary, Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga, expressed frustration over what they termed an “undue delay” in releasing the circulars and salary templates necessary for the allowance’s implementation.
According to the union, a detailed proposal to facilitate the rollout was submitted to the commission, but the process appears to have stalled.
“The National Leadership of the JNPSNC is constrained to draw the attention of the management of the NSIWC to the undue delay in issuing the appropriate circular and salary templates required to facilitate the payment of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance,” the letter read.
The union noted that it had first formally reached out to the commission on September 1, 2025, yet no action has been taken since.
It described the inaction as deliberate, stating that it has denied thousands of public servants an entitlement that forms a critical component of the newly approved wage structure.
The JNPSNC added that while the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had already transmitted the approval to the NSIWC, implementation remains stalled, fuelling suspicion and dissatisfaction among workers.
Following a meeting of affiliate union leaders on March 9, 2026, the council resolved to demand immediate action, asserting that workers’ patience has been “severely overstretched.”
The letter concluded with a warning: “Accordingly, we demand a positive response on or before Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Failure to comply will leave the council with no option but to take necessary action. No retreat, no surrender.”
The dispute underscores the fraught implementation of the new N70,000 national minimum wage, which was approved after prolonged negotiations with organised labour.
The wage increase was intended to cushion workers against the impact of rising inflation, the removal of the fuel subsidy, and a broader cost-of-living crisis. However, the rollout has been plagued by delays and disputes over consequential adjustments and additional allowances.
The 40% peculiar allowance is particularly significant, as it is designed to address pay disparities and compensate for job-specific conditions within the federal civil service.
The ongoing delay has amplified concerns that the broader wage reform may not translate into tangible income gains for workers.
The ultimatum signals the potential for wider labour unrest in Nigeria’s public sector at a time of intensifying economic pressure.
With inflation remaining elevated and the real value of wages under constant strain, delays in implementing agreed-upon benefits carry immediate and severe consequences for the affected employees.
