On Wednesday, April 3, 2025, tens of thousands of federal public servants in Nigeria plan to surround the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation in Abuja—not to demand more money, but to demand what they say was stolen from them. The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), representing roughly 1.5 million workers across ministries and agencies, says their January and February 2025 paychecks were deliberately mutilated. No bonuses. No allowances. No increments. Just bare minimums—and in some cases, less.
What Went Wrong?
Here’s the thing: the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation told the public there were no salary shortfalls in January and February. But the JNPSNC, led by its National Secretary Olowoyo Gbenga, says that’s a lie. In a formal letter dated March 17, 2025, the union detailed how workers were denied their full entitlements: the 40% "peculiar allowances"—a long-standing component of federal pay meant to cover housing, transport, and hardship—were slashed to near zero. The 35% and 25% salary increments promised in 2024? Still unpaid. Minimum wage adjustments? Not fully implemented. Arrears from previous years? Ignored.
"Sharp reductions and mutilations," the letter read. Not a typo. Not a glitch. "Mutilations." That’s the word they chose. And it’s not hyperbole. For a primary school teacher in Kano or a clerk in the Ministry of Health in Port Harcourt, those allowances aren’t luxuries—they’re the difference between feeding a family and skipping meals.
The Government’s Denial
The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation stood by its statement, insisting payroll systems were fully funded and accurate. But here’s the odd part: they never sat down with the union before issuing that denial. No meeting. No explanation. Just a press release. "They didn’t even call us," one union official told reporters. "They just announced we were lying."
That’s the spark. The JNPSNC didn’t just want answers—they wanted accountability. And when the March 31 deadline they set for correcting the errors passed without action, the picket became inevitable. "Without mincing words," the union warned, "workers will not hesitate to picket..."
Why This Matters Beyond Paychecks
This isn’t just about money. It’s about trust. The federal payroll system, managed by the AGF, is the lifeblood of Nigeria’s civil service. If workers can’t rely on it to deliver what’s legally owed, what’s left of public sector morale? In 2024, the government claimed it had settled long-standing wage disputes. But the fact that workers are still waiting for 2024 increments in early 2025 suggests either mismanagement—or worse, deliberate delay.
There’s also the precedent. In June 2025, the AGF blamed a "technical network glitch" at Zenith Bank Plc for delayed salaries. But that was a one-off, isolated to a single bank. This? This is systemic. Across all MDAs. For two full months. And the pattern matches what happened in 2023, when similar cuts were made under the guise of "budgetary constraints." Workers were promised compensation. They never got it.
What Happens on April 3?
The picket isn’t a rally. It’s a targeted shutdown. Union members plan to occupy the AGF’s main entrance in Abuja’s Central Business District, blocking access to payroll processing units. No violence. No banners. Just silence. Thousands of civil servants standing still, holding pay stubs from January and February—side by side—with the amounts visibly lower than what they were promised.
It’s a quiet protest, but it’s devastatingly effective. If the AGF’s offices are paralyzed, payroll for 1.5 million workers across 36 states and the FCT could stall. That means no salaries for teachers, nurses, customs officers, or even AGF staff themselves. The ripple effect? Hospitals may run out of medicine. Schools could shut down. Government services grind to a halt.
What’s Next?
The federal government has two choices: negotiate or escalate. If they ignore the picket, the JNPSNC has hinted at a nationwide strike in May. If they negotiate, they’ll need to produce bank records, payroll logs, and a timeline for repayment—something they’ve avoided so far. The Central Bank of Nigeria, which oversees federal financial transactions, has remained silent. So have the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
One thing’s clear: the workers aren’t asking for more. They’re asking for what they were promised. And they’re willing to stand in silence to make sure they’re heard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are "peculiar allowances" so important to federal workers?
Peculiar allowances were designed in the 1990s to compensate federal workers for the high cost of living and irregular service conditions across Nigeria’s diverse regions. They typically make up 40% of take-home pay—covering transport, housing, and hardship allowances. Cutting them effectively reduces salaries by nearly half, especially for workers in remote areas like the Niger Delta or Northeast. These aren’t bonuses; they’re structural parts of the pay scale.
How does this dispute differ from the June 2025 Zenith Bank glitch?
The June 2025 delay affected only workers with Zenith Bank accounts and was blamed on a technical error—resolved within days. The January-February 2025 issue involved all federal workers across all banks and was a deliberate reduction in payment amounts, not a delay. The JNPSNC has provided payroll records showing intentional underpayment, not system failure. This is a policy issue, not a banking glitch.
What’s the timeline for resolving this?
The JNPSNC gave the AGF until March 31, 2025, to correct the errors and pay arrears. No action was taken. The April 3 picket is the next step. If unresolved by April 10, the union plans to escalate to a nationwide strike. The federal government has not yet responded to the union’s formal request for a mediation meeting, leaving the timeline uncertain but increasingly urgent.
Who is affected by this dispute?
All 1.5 million federal civil servants across Nigeria’s Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs)—including teachers, nurses, police officers, tax officials, and administrative staff. Workers in states with no state payroll systems rely entirely on federal salaries. This isn’t just an Abuja issue—it impacts families in Kano, Enugu, Calabar, and Sokoto, where federal workers are often the primary breadwinners.
Has this happened before?
Yes. In 2023, similar salary cuts were made under the same justification—"budgetary realignment." Workers protested, and the government eventually paid partial arrears after weeks of pressure. But no systemic reforms followed. The same allowances were cut again in 2024, then again in early 2025. Workers say they’re tired of being played. The pattern is clear: cut, deny, delay, then pay a little after protests.
What are experts saying about the AGF’s handling of this?
Dr. Amina Ibrahim, a public finance analyst at the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research, says the AGF’s refusal to engage before issuing public denials undermines institutional credibility. "Transparency isn’t just about releasing data—it’s about dialogue," she said. "When you tell workers they’re lying without showing them the numbers, you’re not defending the system—you’re eroding it."
Comments (18)
-
Orlaith Ryan November 18, 2025
This is disgusting.
-
Jacquelyn Barbero November 20, 2025
I can’t imagine living in a system where your paycheck is treated like a suggestion. These workers aren’t asking for handouts-they’re asking for dignity. 🙏
-
Chris Richardson November 21, 2025
My cousin teaches in Kano. She told me last week she had to sell her bike just to buy school supplies for her kids. This isn’t politics-it’s survival.
-
Hailey Parker November 22, 2025
Oh wow, so the government’s answer to ‘we’re broke’ is to lie to 1.5 million people? 🤦♀️ And they wonder why no one trusts them? They didn’t even call the union? That’s not incompetence-that’s arrogance wrapped in a press release.
Let me get this straight: you cut 40% of someone’s pay, then tell them they’re lying when they point it out? That’s not fiscal policy. That’s psychological warfare. And it’s working-because people are too tired to fight anymore. Until they’re not.
These aren’t bonuses. They’re the difference between a child eating and going to bed hungry. Between a nurse taking the bus and walking 10km to work. Between a teacher buying chalk and watching her class sit in the dark.
The AGF didn’t make a mistake. They made a choice. And now they’re gonna get a silent, powerful reckoning. No noise. No banners. Just 1.5 million people standing still with pay stubs in hand. That’s the most terrifying protest you can imagine.
Because when people stop yelling and start standing… you know they’ve given up on being heard.
And that’s when systems break.
May God have mercy on the men who thought this was smart.
-
Pete Thompson November 24, 2025
Why do we always assume the government is the villain? Maybe the money just isn’t there. Nigeria’s economy is a mess. You can’t pay people if there’s no money to pay with.
And why are we even talking about allowances? That’s a colonial relic. Why should a clerk in Abuja get the same as someone in the Delta? It’s not fair.
Workers need to adapt. Stop crying about ‘mutilated’ pay. That’s just emotion talking.
-
John Bartow November 24, 2025
Let me tell you something about Nigeria’s civil service payroll-it’s not just broken, it’s a Rube Goldberg machine built by bureaucrats who think ‘system’ means ‘something that makes noise but does nothing.’
Back in 2017, I worked with a federal data officer in Enugu. He had a 12-year-old laptop running Windows XP, a printer that only worked on Tuesdays, and a password that changed every month because ‘security.’ His entire payroll was manually reconciled by three people who didn’t trust the software, didn’t trust each other, and definitely didn’t trust the AGF.
And now? Now they’re cutting allowances that were carved into law in the 90s? They didn’t just cut pay-they cut history. That 40%? That’s not a bonus. That’s the cost of surviving in a country where electricity is a luxury, roads are optional, and your salary is the only thing that keeps your family from becoming a footnote in a news report.
And the AGF? They think silence is power. But silence is just the sound of a nation holding its breath.
And when that breath finally breaks? It won’t be a protest.
It’ll be a revolution.
-
DJ Paterson November 25, 2025
There’s something deeply human about this protest. No chants. No megaphones. Just people holding up their pay stubs-side by side-like evidence in a courtroom where no judge is present.
It’s not about money. It’s about being seen. About being counted. About being told, ‘you matter,’ and then having the system erase you with a keystroke.
And the worst part? They know this will hurt everyone. Even the AGF staff. Even the security guards. Even the cleaners. Because in Nigeria, the civil service isn’t a hierarchy-it’s a web. Pull one thread, and the whole thing trembles.
That’s why this works.
That’s why it’s terrifying.
And that’s why it might just work.
-
Lawrence Abiamuwe November 27, 2025
While I respect the sentiment of the workers, I urge all parties to pursue dialogue through formal channels. The rule of law must prevail, and the integrity of public institutions must be preserved. A peaceful, structured negotiation remains the most sustainable path forward.
-
Mark Archuleta November 28, 2025
Let’s cut through the noise: this is a governance failure, not a payroll glitch. The AGF’s refusal to engage is a strategic miscalculation. They think silence = control. It’s not. It’s a vacuum. And vacuums get filled-with rage, with strikes, with collapse.
They need to release the payroll logs. Publicly. With timestamps. With bank confirmations. No spin. No PR. Just data. Then sit down. Or get ready for May.
This isn’t about ideology. It’s about accountability. And accountability doesn’t come from press releases. It comes from transparency.
-
Stuart Sandman November 29, 2025
Who funded this? The West? The IMF? The same people who told Nigeria to cut subsidies and now want to control our payroll? This is economic colonialism with a Nigerian face. They want us weak. They want us dependent. They want us begging for handouts while our own leaders lie.
They cut our pay? Fine. But don’t expect us to beg for crumbs. We’ll burn the system down before we bow to foreign masters.
-
Mark L November 30, 2025
so like… if the gov just paid them… would that fix it? idk i’m just asking 😅
-
Jacquelyn Barbero December 1, 2025
Yes. And then fix the system so it doesn’t happen again. 🙏
-
Richard Berry December 2, 2025
Wait so the 2023 cuts were paid partially… and now again? That’s not a pattern-that’s a habit. Like biting your nails but pretending it’s stress relief.
-
Sandy Everett December 3, 2025
Every time I hear about this, I think of my aunt in Calabar. She’s a nurse. Her salary used to cover rent, medicine for her mother, and school fees for her niece. Now? She’s borrowing from neighbors. She doesn’t complain. She just works harder. That’s the quiet strength of Nigeria’s civil servants.
-
naresh g December 4, 2025
Why not form a cooperative? Workers can pool resources, share transport, buy food in bulk? Why always depend on government? Self-reliance is the real solution!
-
Brajesh Yadav December 6, 2025
THEY STOLE OUR MONEY AND NOW THEY SAY WE’RE LYING?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? 😡🔥
-
J Mavrikos December 6, 2025
As someone who’s watched this unfold from abroad-I’ve seen this before. In Zimbabwe, in Venezuela, in Greece. When the state stops honoring its contracts with its own people, the collapse isn’t loud. It’s quiet. It’s in the empty classrooms. The dark hospitals. The mothers who stop sending their kids to school.
This isn’t just about Nigeria. It’s about what happens when trust dies slowly. And it’s happening right now.
They think they’re protecting the budget.
They’re destroying the future.
-
toby tinsley December 6, 2025
The most dangerous thing about this situation isn’t the pay cuts-it’s the erasure of dignity. When a government refuses to acknowledge the humanity of those who keep it running, it doesn’t matter how many press releases it issues. The system is already broken.
And silence? Silence is the loudest protest of all.
