The Federal Government has assured federal civil servants that payment of outstanding N35,000 wage award arrears will commence before the middle of August, while promotion arrears and other outstanding workers’ entitlements are also being processed.
The assurance comes amid renewed concerns from organised labour over delays in implementing workers’ welfare agreements, including unpaid wage awards, promotion arrears and salary-related allowances.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, gave the assurance during a meeting with the leadership of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Trade Side, led by its National President, Kabiru Ado Minjibir, in Abuja.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head of Information and Public Relations Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Efe Ovuakporie.
“The Federal Government has assured public servants that the outstanding wage award will be paid before the middle of August, while promotion arrears are being processed as part of ongoing efforts to fulfil its commitments to workers,” the statement said.
Oyedele said the administration had already started addressing several concerns raised by labour, adding that the President Bola Tinubu administration remained committed to honouring agreements reached with workers.
“When government makes commitments, it delivers. We are not in the habit of making promises that cannot be fulfilled. Where there are outstanding issues, we will give realistic timelines and ensure they are implemented,” he said.
The minister disclosed that the approval process for the release of funds had reached its final stage and expressed confidence that eligible workers would begin receiving the outstanding wage award before mid-August.
“The necessary release for payment of the outstanding wage award is being concluded, and we are confident that eligible public servants will begin receiving the payment before the middle of the month,” he stated.
Oyedele also assured labour leaders that outstanding promotion arrears were being processed in line with established procedures.
He directed ministry officials to immediately review submissions presented by the council, engage relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and accelerate action on unresolved labour-related matters.
The minister acknowledged concerns over delays in implementing previous agreements but said the government would continue to promote transparency and regular engagement with organised labour.
“Our objective is to build a system where issues are resolved proactively. We want workers to have confidence that once government gives its word, it will honour that commitment,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Raymond Omachi, also pledged closer collaboration with organised labour to ensure approved workers’ entitlements were processed without unnecessary delays.
He said the ministry would continue working with relevant government institutions to accelerate the resolution of pending issues, stressing that constructive dialogue remained important for maintaining industrial harmony.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, disclosed that Batch 7 promotion arrears, which was omitted from an earlier payment exercise, was being processed alongside Batch 9.
He expressed confidence that affected workers would receive their entitlements once the processing was completed.
Danjuma added that the government was also working with relevant agencies to resolve issues surrounding the payment of the Peculiar Allowance and other outstanding labour-related claims.
Providing an update on the wage award payment process, the Director of Cash Management, Christiana Osho, said reconciliation of the outstanding arrears had been completed.
She explained that the payment release was at the final stage and that eligible workers would begin receiving the arrears once the release was effected, while promotion arrears would continue to be processed according to the approved schedule.
President Bola Tinubu approved a N35,000 monthly provisional wage award for federal workers in October 2023 as a temporary measure to cushion the effects of petrol subsidy removal and the rising cost of living.
The wage award was initially approved for six months following an agreement with organised labour to avert a nationwide strike, pending the conclusion of negotiations on a new national minimum wage.
Although payments commenced in late 2023, implementation later became irregular, leaving several months outstanding.
In April 2025, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation announced that five outstanding months would be paid in instalments of N35,000 each after workers received their April salaries.
The first tranche was reportedly paid in May 2025, followed by a second tranche in August 2025, with the remaining instalments to be settled in phases.
The latest assurance follows a recent appeal by the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council for an urgent meeting with the Finance Minister over the delayed payment of two months’ wage award and implementation of the 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance for federal workers.
The council had requested a meeting with the minister on or before August 11 and warned that failure to resolve the outstanding issues could trigger unrest among public servants.
In a letter addressed to Oyedele and signed by the council’s National Secretary, Gbenga Olowoyo, on behalf of its National Chairman, Benjamin Yanto, the union expressed disappointment that two previous letters on the matter had not received a response.
