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."
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