Federal Workers Seek 329% Minimum Wage Increase to N300,000

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) has demanded a 329 per cent increase in the national minimum wage, seeking a review from the current N70,000 to N300,000 amid rising living costs.

The forum made the demand in a letter dated September 2, 2026, addressed to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly, where it also proposed a maximum salary of N1.5 million for Level 17 federal civil servants.

The proposed N300,000 minimum wage represents an increase of N230,000 or approximately 329 per cent over the existing N70,000 wage.

The FWF, in the letter signed by its National Coordinator, Mr Andrew Emelieze, and General Secretary, Mr Ogundele Ayodele, argued that the current wage structure no longer reflects the economic realities facing federal workers.

It said the demand was also driven by what it described as the incomplete implementation of the 2024 minimum wage, alleging that federal workers had not received the full consequential adjustment and associated allowances.

According to the forum, the 2024 wage review raised the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000, but resulted in what it described as a flat N40,000 increase across all levels of the federal civil service.

The workers argued that the three-year statutory review period for the minimum wage should not prevent the government from responding to the erosion of workers’ purchasing power.

The forum said the rising costs of food, transportation, accommodation, electricity, cooking gas and other necessities had made the N70,000 minimum wage inadequate.

Under its proposed salary structure, Level 1 Step 1 workers would earn N300,000, while Level 2 would receive N330,000 and Level 3 N360,000.

The proposed salaries would rise progressively, reaching N1 million for Level 15, N1.2 million for Level 16 and N1.5 million for Level 17 officers.

The FWF also demanded payment of outstanding salaries, promotion arrears and other entitlements, alongside the immediate implementation and payment of arrears of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance.

It called for a full consequential adjustment of the 2024 minimum wage and the introduction of permanent Cost of Living and Family Support Allowances.

Other demands included comprehensive health insurance for workers and pensioners, car and housing loan schemes, improved pension arrangements, free education for children of federal workers and pensioners in federal institutions, and tax relief on workers’ allowances.

The forum also urged the government to strengthen social security, tackle insecurity and kidnappings, and introduce measures to boost local production and address declining purchasing power.

It further called on the National Assembly to investigate allegations that part of workers’ contributory pension savings was being borrowed by the executive.

The FWF urged lawmakers to take up its demands with President Tinubu, insisting that federal workers should not have to wait until July 2027 for a wage review.

The forum said the proposed salary adjustment could be accommodated within the current budget, citing increased government revenues and earnings from crude oil sales.