Public service workers under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) have commenced a three-day warning strike over what the council described as worsening economic and mental hardship affecting workers and their dependants.
The industrial action began at midnight on Friday, 2 October, and is scheduled to run until Sunday, 4 October 2026. The council directed public servants across the federal, state and local government services to participate.
The directive was contained in a circular dated 1 October and signed by the National Secretary of the JNPSNC, Olowoyo Gbenga, who instructed the council’s national and state leadership to mobilise workers and ensure the information was disseminated across the country.
According to the circular, the decision followed the Federal Government’s alleged failure to address requests submitted to President Bola Tinubu in a letter dated 21 September.
“Consequent upon the above, the strike shall start with effect from midnight on Friday, 2nd October, 2026, to Sunday, 4th October, 2026,” the council stated.
The JNPSNC said the action was intended to draw attention to the difficulties facing workers, their dependants and other vulnerable Nigerians.
It described the economic situation as increasingly difficult, saying, “The economic and mental hardships are becoming unbearable and frustrating.”
The council had previously demanded measures to cushion the impact of rising living costs, including a reduction in petrol prices to N500 per litre, an immediate wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage ahead of 2027.
The workers had given the Federal Government until 30 September to respond to their demands before announcing the warning strike.
The JNPSNC also called for the establishment of a tripartite committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage, with previous reports stating that the council sought a minimum wage of not less than N500,000 from 2027.
The demands come amid concerns over the rising cost of food, transportation and other essential goods and services, which workers’ representatives say have reduced their purchasing power.
The council urged its leaders to sustain mobilisation for the industrial action, declaring: “The time to act and mobilise workers for the three-day warning strike is now!!!”
It concluded its circular by urging members to disseminate the strike notice and expressing confidence in the outcome of the action.
“Please, disseminate the information!!! Surely, there is victory for us!!!” the circular added.
The JNPSNC comprises eight public-sector unions, including the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives.
The council maintained that the warning strike would run from 2 to 4 October, with public servants across the three tiers of government expected to participate.
