Civil servants under the umbrella of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) have issued a strike notice to the Federal Government, demanding payment of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance linked to the N70,000 national minimum wage.
The workers gave the government up to March 31 to address the delay, warning that failure to act could trigger nationwide industrial action across the public service.
In a letter addressed to the Executive Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), the National Chairman and National Secretary of JNPSNC (Trade Union Side), Benjamin Uyantomni and Olowoyo Gbenga, respectively, expressed concern over the delay in issuing the required circular and salary templates needed to implement the allowance.
The council noted that the allowance was expected to reflect the approved N70,000 national minimum wage, which took effect in July 2024 following its enactment into law.
According to the letter, the request for the 40 per cent peculiar allowance had earlier been approved, with implementation commencing during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The union leaders said previous correspondences and presentations made to the commission to facilitate approval and smooth implementation of the allowance had not received the desired response.
They warned that the continued delay had denied thousands of federal public servants their rightful entitlements and posed a threat to industrial harmony within the public service.
The council further recalled that approvals were granted during separate and joint meetings held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and at the 46th Meeting of the National Council on Establishment in Osogbo, Osun State, including approvals covering hazard allowances for agricultural officers at national and sub-national levels.
The workers emphasised that despite the formal transmission of the approvals to the commission by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the necessary circular had yet to be issued.
The JNPSNC leadership, which met on March 9, 2026, resolved to demand immediate action on the outstanding matters, noting that the patience of affected workers had been overstretched.
“Accordingly, we demand a positive response from the commission on or before Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Failure to comply will leave the council with no option but to take necessary action,” the letter stated.
