Federal Workers Demand N300,000 Minimum Wage Amid Rising Hardship

(Federal Workers. Photo by Daily Times Nigeria)

A labour group representing federal civil servants has written to the President and lawmakers, demanding an immediate wage review.

The group is asking that the minimum wage be raised from N70,000 to N300,000 and that senior officers at the highest level earn N1.5 million monthly.

The workers said the current wage structure no longer reflects what money can actually buy.

They pointed out that the minimum wage approved in 2024 has not been fully implemented, and federal workers have not received all the additional allowances that were supposed to come with it.

They said when the wage increased from N30,000 to N70,000 in 2024, workers across all levels received only N40,000 in total increase.

The workers described their situation as an emergency, saying the cost of living has become unbearable.

Food, transportation, housing, electricity and cooking gas prices have made the N70,000 wage inadequate.

Workers complained that they are struggling to afford basic necessities and some have turned to microfinance loans and phone-based borrowing apps just to get money for transport to work.

Some workers have even resorted to using firewood because they can no longer afford cooking gas.

The group argued that while government earnings have increased, particularly from oil sales, federal workers remain underpaid and are suffering unprecedented hardship.

They said this situation is affecting worker productivity and creating conditions for corruption.

The workers stressed they cannot wait until July 2027, when the wage agreement is set for review, saying they need immediate help.

Beyond wages, the workers also demanded payment of outstanding salaries and promotion arrears, introduction of a permanent cost of living allowance, free education for their children in federal schools, and better health insurance.

They also called on government to address broader issues including insecurity, provide free medical care for children and pregnant women, and tackle inflation by bringing back fuel subsidies and controlling prices of essential goods.

The group urged lawmakers to treat their demands as urgent.