Pay crisis rocks federal civil service, MDAs
By Victor Idajili
Anxiety and anger are spreading rapidly across the Federal Civil Service as workers in ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, grapple with unexplained salary reductions, mounting unpaid arrears, and the absence of official communication from the Federal Government.
Labour sources warned that the situation is breeding deep frustration and could trigger widespread industrial unrest if left unresolved.
Investigations reveal that federal workers have endured months of financial strain amid shrinking monthly pay packages, delayed allowances, and promotion arrears stretching back several years.
Many affected workers describe the situation as unprecedented, particularly as several state governments are now paying higher wages than the Federal Government. This development, officials admit, has never occurred in the history of Nigeria’s minimum wage regime.
At the centre of workers’ complaints is the non-issuance of pay slips since September 2025, a development that has left employees unable to track deductions or understand why their salaries continue to decline monthly, especially in several MDAs. According to affected staff in the Federal Ministry of Information; Labour and Employment; Agriculture; and Education, among others, as well as the agencies and departments under them — including the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) — take-home pay has been reducing steadily without any official explanation, fuelling suspicion and distrust within the system.
Adding to the tension is the non-payment of three months’ wage award arrears, which workers say the Federal Government has yet to settle despite repeated assurances. Insiders lament that while the wage award was meant to cushion the impact of economic hardship, its prolonged non-payment has worsened the financial condition of workers already battling rising living costs.
Promotion arrears have also emerged as a major sore point. Federal workers promoted in 2023 reportedly received only partial payments in 2024, while those promoted in 2024 and 2025 have not been paid a single kobo.
The backlog, which cuts across multiple MDAs, has left many senior officers earning the same salaries as their subordinates years after elevation.
Further aggravating the situation is the non-payment of the 20 per cent weighing-in allowance since August 2024, despite its statutory status. Workers say the allowance, which forms a significant part of their earnings, has simply disappeared from payrolls without notice.
