...Sets May 21, 2026, for Drastic Response if Demands Are Not Met
The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, has condemned what it describes as the “nonchalant attitude” of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, NSIWC, in implementing the approved 40% peculiar allowance for federal public servants.
In a letter dated May 6, 2026, titled “Re: Approval for Peculiar Allowance, Duty Tour Allowances and Other Welfare Packages for Public Servants in Nigeria – Matters Arising”, the JNPSNC leadership expressed deep reservations over the commission’s handling of the issue, which affects thousands of Nigerian workers.
The council faulted the NSIWC for failing to consult the JNPSNC Trade Union Side on how the 40% peculiar allowance table was computed, despite the allowance being tied to the N70,000 minimum wage under the National Minimum Wage Act 2024. According to the letter, the commission’s approach violates the principle of collective bargaining, which requires all critical stakeholders to agree on the final implementable table and circular.
“The office of the Executive Chairman, NSIWC, refused to put the JNPSNC Trade Union Side on notice regarding the process used to arrive at the peculiar allowance components,” the letter stated. “This amounts to a unilateral decision, shrouded in complexity and suspicion.”
The JNPSNC further accused the commission of a “conspiratorial tendency” against the collective interest of Nigerian workers, alleging that the delay in clarifying the allowance structure is a deliberate attempt to save money at the expense of public servants.
The council is now demanding an unambiguous circular and salary table that clearly reflects the 40% allowance based on the N70,000 minimum wage, with full input from all stakeholders. It also called for transparency to prevent suspicion and ensure no worker is short changed.
“The National leadership of the JNPSNC hereby demands appropriate action to address these issues and diffuse the unnecessary tension already building among public servants across the country,” the letter read.
The letter, jointly signed by JNPSNC National Chairman Comrade Benjamin Anto Uyanto, mni, and National Secretary Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga, was copied to all relevant government agencies to intervene and prevent a potential industrial crisis.
While acknowledging the welfare packages announced by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Esther Walson-Jack, on April 24, 2026, the council said those packages were the result of sustained agitation by the JNPSNC and should be implemented transparently.
The JNPSNC warned that failure to act before May 21, 2026, would compel it to take drastic measures against the management of the Wages Commission.
“A stitch in time saves nine,” the council concluded.
