Civil servants under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side, have written to President Bola Tinubu, demanding urgent measures to address rising living costs and declining purchasing power.
In a letter to the President, the workers called for petrol to be stabilised at N500 per litre, an immediate wage award for public servants and an upward review of salaries and allowances across the public service. They also requested the immediate establishment of a committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage ahead of January 2027.
The council said the recent increase in petrol prices to N1,430 per litre or higher in some locations had intensified the financial pressure on workers. It argued that higher fuel costs had contributed to increases in transportation, food and other essential expenses.
The workers also proposed a minimum salary of N500,000 per month for an officer on Grade Level 01, Step 1, under a proposed 2027 salary structure. They further called for harmonised wages across government ministries, departments and agencies, as well as periodic salary adjustments linked to inflation.
The council criticised the reliance on food palliatives, arguing that such measures were not a sustainable response to the economic difficulties confronting workers. Instead, it urged the government to introduce a fuel intervention fund capable of reducing pump prices and benefiting citizens more broadly.
The JNPSNC gave the Federal Government until September 30, 2026, to respond to its demands, warning that continued hardship was creating tension among workers and Nigerians. It also called for measures including subsidised transportation and affordable housing for public servants.
The development is significant as discussions over wages and living costs continue ahead of the next review of Nigeria’s national minimum wage. The workers said early negotiations would help ensure that a new wage structure takes effect from January 2027.
Nigeria’s current minimum wage framework was introduced amid efforts to cushion workers from rising living costs following the removal of the petrol subsidy. The latest demands place fuel prices, wages and broader public-sector welfare at the centre of renewed discussions between workers and the Federal Government.
