The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to review the salaries of federal civil servants and increase the national minimum wage from N70,000 to N300,000.
The demand was contained in a letter dated September 2, 2026, signed by the National Coordinator of the forum, Andrew Emelieze, and its General Secretary, Ogundele Ayodele.
The letter was addressed to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives through the Clerk of the National Assembly, with the President, Chief Justice of Nigeria and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation listed among the recipients.
The forum also proposed a new salary structure that would place the pay of Level 17 Step 1 officers at N1.5 million monthly.
The FWF said the demand had become necessary because of the rising cost of living and what it described as the incomplete implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage approved in 2024.
“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 forum said.
According to the workers, the 2024 wage review increased the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 but resulted in what they described as a flat N40,000 increase across all levels of the federal civil service.
The forum alleged that federal workers had yet to receive the full consequential adjustment and other allowances associated with the new wage regime.
“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,” it stated.
The FWF argued that although the new minimum wage is subject to review after three years, the statutory review period should not prevent the government from responding to what it described as the worsening economic conditions facing workers.
The workers said the rising cost of food, transportation, accommodation, electricity, cooking gas and other necessities had made the N70,000 minimum wage inadequate.
“As a matter of fact, it is suicidal for the federal workers to continue in this ugly situation. Hence, based on the current cost-of-living crisis, it can only be a matter of justice that the federal wages be immediately reviewed to meet up with the current economic realities in Nigeria,” the forum said.
The group also alleged that some federal workers had become heavily indebted to microfinance institutions and digital loan platforms to meet their daily needs, including transportation to work.
“Federal workers are now heavily indebted to microfinances and, most times, federal workers resort to phone loan apps to get transportation to work,” it said.
The forum further claimed that some workers had resorted to using firewood because they could no longer afford cooking gas.
It warned that the worsening financial situation could affect workers’ productivity and create conditions that could encourage corruption.
“While the Federal Government is making more money now, the federal workers are underpaid and subjected to unprecedented sufferings and hardship,” the workers said.
Under the proposed salary structure, Level 1 Step 1 workers would earn N300,000 monthly, while Level 2 workers would receive N330,000 and Level 3 workers N360,000.
The proposed salary for Level 4 is N390,000; Level 5, N420,000; Level 6, N450,000; Level 7, N480,000; Level 8, N510,000; and Level 9, N550,000.
The forum proposed N600,000 for Level 10; N700,000 for Level 12; N750,000 for Level 13; N800,000 for Level 14; N1 million for Level 15; N1.2 million for Level 16; and N1.5 million for Level 17 officers.
It said the proposed N300,000 minimum wage was based on estimated monthly expenditure on food, transportation, accommodation, family support, electricity, cooking gas, telecommunications, water and other utilities.
“Our projections here are fair, and we believe it can still be accommodated in the present budget based on the daily increased earnings and the excess crude oil sales earnings,” the forum said.
Beyond the proposed wage increase, the FWF demanded payment of outstanding salaries, promotion arrears and other entitlements owed federal workers.
It also called for the immediate implementation and payment of arrears of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance, full consequential adjustment of the 2024 minimum wage and the introduction of a permanent Cost of Living Allowance.
Other demands included a Family Support Allowance, an end to stagnation in the civil service, declaration of vacancies for promotions, comprehensive health insurance for federal workers and pensioners, car and housing loan schemes, long-service awards and improved pension arrangements.
The forum also called for free education for the children of federal workers and pensioners in federal institutions, reduced taxation of workers’ allowances and tax relief measures.
On broader economic and social issues, the FWF urged the government to introduce a comprehensive social security programme for unemployed and underemployed Nigerians.
It also called for free medical care for children, pregnant women and elderly citizens, federal intervention programmes for the treatment of cancer and other life-threatening diseases, as well as stronger measures to tackle insecurity and secure the release of kidnapped Nigerians.
The workers further called for an investigation into reports that part of workers’ contributory pension savings was being borrowed by the executive.
“We like to bring to the notice of the National Assembly that we are hearing rumours that part of our contributory pension savings is being borrowed by the executive. We are calling for investigations and an immediate stoppage cum refund if it is true,” the forum said.
The FWF also demanded the return of petrol subsidy, price-control measures for essential goods and services, stronger local production and industrialisation, and measures to address the declining purchasing power of Nigerians.
The forum urged the National Assembly to take up its demands with the President, stressing that federal workers should not have to wait until July 2027 for a salary review.
“Federal workers have suffered enough. It has been three years of torture, torment and agony for the federal workers since the removal of fuel subsidy,” it stated.
The workers appealed to the National Assembly and other government authorities to treat their demands as an emergency intervention, arguing that improved wages were necessary to protect workers’ welfare and enhance their ability to effectively implement government policies.