Public Servants Begin Three-Day Nationwide Warning Strike Over Economic Hardship
Public sector unions under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, have commenced a three-day warning strike across the country over the Federal Government’s failure to address their demands on petrol prices, workers’ welfare and the proposed new minimum wage.
The industrial action began at midnight on Friday, October 2, and is scheduled to run until Sunday, October 4, 2026.
The JNPSNC directed workers in the federal, state and local government services, including employees of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, to participate fully in the strike.
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In a circular issued by the council’s National Secretary, Trade Union side, Olowoyo Gbenga, the unions instructed their national presidents, general secretaries, state chairmen and secretaries to ensure total compliance with the directive.
The council said the action followed the Federal Government’s failure to respond to demands contained in a letter dated September 21, 2026, addressed to President Bola Tinubu.
The unions said their demands were driven by what they described as worsening economic and mental hardship affecting workers, their dependants and other vulnerable Nigerians.
The strike also followed President Tinubu’s Independence Day broadcast on Thursday, during which the unions said he failed to address their demand for a reduction of the petrol pump price to N500 per litre or announce immediate measures to cushion the impact of the economic hardship.
The JNPSNC had earlier given the Federal Government a September 30 deadline to address its demands, warning that failure to do so would trigger the three-day warning strike.
The council’s demands include a reduction of the price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, to N500 per litre; an immediate wage award for workers; and the establishment of a tripartite committee to begin negotiations for a new National Minimum Wage expected to take effect in 2027.
According to the council, the price of petrol currently ranges between N1,450 and N2,000 per litre, while prices in some locations outside major communities and cities can reach N2,500 per litre.
The unions argued that the high cost of fuel had increased pressure on workers and households, making it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to cope with the rising cost of living.
On the petrol price demand, the council proposed that the Federal Government provide an intervention fund to address landing costs and support oil and gas operators.
It also called on the government to ensure the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery and modular refinery operators on appropriate terms to increase domestic refining and help reduce the cost of petroleum products.
The JNPSNC also demanded an immediate wage award for Nigerian workers to cushion the effects of prevailing economic conditions.
The council said implementing the wage award would help workers cope with the rising cost of living and enable public servants to maintain their commitment and productivity within the public service.
The unions further called on the Federal Government to urgently constitute a tripartite committee to begin negotiations for a new National Minimum Wage ahead of 2027.
The council said the early constitution of the committee was necessary to prevent administrative or procedural delays that could affect the implementation of a new wage once negotiated and passed into law by the National Assembly.
In its warning before the strike, the JNPSNC said failure by the government to address the issues by September 30 would leave workers with no option but to embark on the industrial action.
In the October 1 circular directing workers to proceed with the strike, Olowoyo said the council’s earlier position remained unchanged because the government had not addressed the demands submitted to the President.
The circular directed all public servants in the federal, state and local government services to join the action.
The council said workers, their dependants and vulnerable Nigerians were experiencing severe economic pressure.
Members of the JNPSNC include the Nigerian Civil Service Union, NCSU; Medical and Health Workers Union, M&HWU; Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN; and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, NANNM.
Others are the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees, AUPCTRE; Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers, NUPSRAW; National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers, NUPPPPROW; and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees, NUAEE.
Meanwhile, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has warned against delays, selective implementation or marginalisation in the implementation of the 2026 Federal Government/SSANU Agreement.
Speaking at the union’s 56th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, said implementation of the agreement had commenced in some universities but remained incomplete in others due to funding and administrative challenges.
Ibrahim said the agreement and resolutions of the NEC must translate into tangible benefits for members.
He directed branches and zones of the union to continue monitoring implementation, maintain accurate membership records, document cases of non-compliance or victimisation and submit timely reports to the national secretariat.
While reaffirming SSANU’s commitment to dialogue and constructive engagement, Ibrahim warned that the union would take lawful and constitutional measures where implementation was deliberately frustrated or NEC decisions ignored.
On workers’ welfare, he said the 2026 agreement took effect from January 1, 2026, although it was formally signed on June 29, 2026.
He maintained that financial obligations arising from the agreement’s effective date remained outstanding and should be fully addressed.
SSANU has also published the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement and the address delivered by Ibrahim at the 56th NEC meeting on its official document repository.
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