The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side, has given the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy until August 11 to convene talks over outstanding wage-related entitlements for federal civil servants, warning that continued delays could trigger industrial action across the public service.
In a letter dated July 31, 2026, the council requested an urgent meeting with the minister on or before August 11 to resolve two key issues: the non-payment of two months’ wage award arrears for March and April 2026, and the delayed implementation of a 40 per cent peculiar allowance for federal workers.
The letter, signed by National Secretary Gbenga Olowoyo on behalf of National Chairman Benjamin Uyanto, expressed frustration that two earlier correspondences sent on May 5 and July 9, 2026, had not received any response from the ministry.
“To the surprise of the national leadership, none of the letters was responded to, let alone addressing the sensitive issues raised therein,” the union said.
The council said an urgent meeting was necessary to prevent growing discontent among workers and avert a wider labour dispute.
The dispute over the 40 per cent peculiar allowance has persisted for months. The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) issued a circular providing for the implementation of the allowance with effect from May 1, 2026. However, implementation across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) has yet to take effect, prompting repeated protests from organised labour.
On May 12, 2026, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Esther Walson-Jack, convened a conciliatory meeting with labour representatives aimed at fostering dialogue and preventing a breakdown in industrial relations. Following the meeting, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service clarified that it neither approved nor formally communicated the allowance, maintaining that the NSIWC is the statutory authority responsible for salary structures and allowance-related circulars.
The temporary wage award was introduced by the Federal Government following the removal of petrol subsidy in 2023 as an interim measure pending the implementation of a new national minimum wage. Labour leaders argue that the outstanding arrears and delayed implementation of the peculiar allowance have deepened workers’ dissatisfaction at a time when many households continue to face elevated living costs.
The union urged the Finance Ministry to treat its latest request with urgency.
“The national leadership expects that this meeting will help to address these outstanding issues to prevent palpable disquiet and a brewing industrial crisis,” the letter stated.
As of drafting time, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy had not publicly responded to the union’s latest communication.
