FG to Begin Payment of Outstanding ₦35,000 Wage Award Before August 15

The Federal Government has assured federal civil servants that payment of the outstanding ₦35,000 wage award arrears will begin before August 15, 2026, while efforts to settle outstanding promotion arrears are also underway.

The assurance was given by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, during a meeting with the leadership of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) in Abuja.

According to the minister, the approval process for releasing the funds is at its final stage, and eligible workers are expected to start receiving the payments before the middle of August.

Oyedele reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to honoring agreements reached with organized labour, stating that the administration would continue to provide realistic timelines and fulfill its promises to workers.

He also directed officials of the Ministry of Finance to accelerate the resolution of outstanding labour-related issues, including promotion arrears and other pending entitlements.

The ministry's Director of Cash Management, Christiana Osho, confirmed that reconciliation of the outstanding wage award had been completed and that payment would commence immediately after the final release of funds.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, Permanent Secretary (Special Duties), disclosed that Batch 7 promotion arrears, which were previously omitted, are now being processed alongside Batch 9, while issues relating to the Peculiar Allowance and other outstanding claims are also receiving attention.

Earlier, the President of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Kabiru Ado Minjibir, urged the government to expedite payment of workers' outstanding entitlements, including wage awards, promotion arrears, salary relativity for health workers, and other welfare benefits.

The ₦35,000 monthly wage award was introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in October 2023 as a temporary measure to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and the rising cost of living. Although payments began in late 2023, implementation became irregular, leaving several months unpaid.

The latest assurance comes after labour leaders warned that continued delays in settling outstanding entitlements could trigger industrial unrest if unresolved.

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