Federal civil servants have renewed their appeal for a substantial salary increase, calling on President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to review the minimum wage from the current N70,000 to N300,000 per month.
The request was made in a new letter dated September 2, 2026, by the Federal Workers Forum (FWF), which said the present pay structure had become inadequate amid the rising cost of living affecting employees and their households.
The letter, signed by the forum’s National Coordinator, Andrew Emelieze, and General Secretary, Ogundele Ayodele, was directed to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives through the Clerk of the National Assembly.
President Tinubu, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation were also named among the recipients.
The group is asking for a total restructuring of the federal salary system. Under its proposal, the least-paid federal worker would earn N300,000 monthly, while employees on Grade Level 17 could receive as much as N1.5 million.
The forum said the proposed adjustment was necessary to reflect current economic realities and improve the welfare of government employees.
It stated, “We call for justice and immediate wage review now, adjust the federal minimum wage to N300,000 and a maximum wage of N1.5m for the Level 17 officers.”
The workers explained that their appeal was not solely focused on increasing salaries but also on resolving what they described as lingering problems with the implementation of the 2024 minimum wage.
According to the forum, the N70,000 minimum wage introduced in 2024 has not been accompanied by the full consequential adjustments and allowances expected by federal employees.
The group said, “It will surprise you to hear that the Federal Government has not fully implemented the new national minimum wage since July 2024. We have been in the battle for full consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage.”
The N70,000 wage was reached after negotiations between the Federal Government and organised labour in July 2024. The revised minimum wage law was subsequently signed by President Tinubu, replacing the former N30,000 benchmark.
Despite the adjustment, the workers argued that the new wage has failed to adequately address the financial pressures confronting civil servants.
The forum claimed that employees across various salary grades effectively received only an additional N40,000 under the new wage arrangement.
It pointed to the rising prices of food, transportation, rent, electricity, cooking gas, water, communication and other essential services as evidence of the growing financial burden on workers.
The group maintained that the N70,000 minimum wage is no longer enough to meet basic household responsibilities, particularly for employees with children and other dependants.
Describing the situation as unbearable, the forum alleged that many federal workers have resorted to borrowing money simply to meet their daily needs.
It claimed some employees now rely on microfinance institutions and digital loan platforms to obtain transportation fares for work, while others reportedly struggle to purchase cooking gas and have resorted to using firewood.
The workers warned that prolonged financial hardship could affect morale, efficiency and productivity within the federal civil service.
They argued that civil servants are central to the execution of government policies and programmes and should therefore receive adequate compensation for their services.
The forum also criticised the disparity between the country’s revenue situation and the earnings of federal employees, arguing that workers should not continue to bear the brunt of economic difficulties.
It therefore urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to urgently reconsider the existing salary structure and approve a N300,000 minimum wage, insisting that the proposed increase would ease financial hardship and improve the living conditions of federal workers.
