Civil servants threaten a national strike over the “secret” 40% salary agreement

Federal civil servants are threatening to reduce tools starting May 21 amid allegations that the National Salaries, Incomes and Remuneration Commission manipulated the implementation of a recently approved 40% special allowance.

The Joint National Public Service Bargaining Council accused the NSIWC of excluding unions from the process and publishing a calculation it said was “shrouded in complexity, secrecy and suspicion.”

In a letter dated May 6, 2026, JNPSNC leaders Benjamin Uyanto and Olowoyo Gbenga said the commission’s approach violated the principle of collective bargaining and created mistrust among workers.

The union insists that the 40% allowance should be calculated based on the national minimum wage of N70,000 in the National Minimum Wage Act 2024. It claims that the NSIWC formula deviates from that and deliberately delays implementation to save government funds.

“The approach of the Office of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission amounts to unilateral decision-making, full of complexity and shrouded in suspicion,” the letter states.

The JNPSNC calls for the immediate publication of an unambiguous circular and compensation scale reflecting the 40% increase. He also wants all interested parties to be included in future negotiations.

While praising President Bola Tinubu and Chief of Service Esther Walson-Jack for approving more welfare packages on April 24, the council warned that failure to resolve the benefits dispute could trigger a nationwide strike.

Labor observers say the standoff could lead to one of the biggest federal public service closures in recent years if not resolved quickly.

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