Federal civil servants have called on the Nigerian government to promptly settle the three months of outstanding arrears from the N35,000 wage award approved last year to help workers cope with rising living costs.
In interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, the workers voiced growing frustration over what they described as an unexplained and increasingly troubling delay in the payment of the outstanding allowances. Many said the delay has deepened financial strain at a time when inflation continues to eat into salaries and household expenses remain elevated.
Several employees told NAN that the government’s slow response appears to be part of a broader pattern in which worker welfare issues receive little attention until public pressure mounts.
One civil servant described the situation as “disheartening,” noting that many colleagues had been relying on the wage award to offset mounting transport, food, and utility costs. Another worker said the delayed payments had left households struggling to meet basic obligations, despite repeated assurances from authorities.
Labour unions have repeatedly urged the government to honour all outstanding commitments related to the wage award, warning that prolonged delays risk further eroding morale within the public workforce.
The N35,000 wage award was introduced as a temporary palliative to ease economic pressure on federal employees following policy reforms that triggered higher living costs. Workers say the government must now prioritize clearing the arrears to restore confidence and provide much-needed relief amid persistent inflationary challenges.
