ABUJA, Nigeria — A group representing federal civil servants has asked President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria’s National Assembly to raise the minimum wage from N70,000 to N300,000 a month, arguing that rising living costs have sharply reduced workers’ purchasing power despite signs of improvement in the wider economy.
The Federal Workers Forum made the demand in a letter dated Sept. 2 and signed by its national coordinator, Andrew Emelieze, and general secretary, Ogundele Ayodele. The letter was addressed to the Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives, with Tinubu, the chief justice and head of the federal civil service among officials listed as recipients.
“We call for justice and immediate wage review now,” the forum said. It proposed N300,000 for the lowest-paid federal workers and a monthly salary of N1.5 million for officers at Level 17, one of the highest ranks in Nigeria’s federal civil service.
The forum said the existing wage no longer adequately covers food, transportation, housing, electricity, cooking gas, telephone services and other household expenses. It also called for a permanent cost-of-living allowance, family support payments, improved health insurance, housing and vehicle loans and payment of outstanding salary and promotion arrears.
The demand comes two years after Nigeria increased its national minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 following months of negotiations between the government, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress. The 2024 legislation also shortened the statutory wage-review cycle from five years to three, putting the next scheduled review in 2027.
The Federal Workers Forum, however, says economic conditions justify reopening the issue sooner. It has also alleged that the 2024 settlement was not fully reflected throughout the federal salary structure, particularly in consequential adjustments — increases applied to workers earning above the statutory minimum so that pay differences between grades are maintained.
Nigeria’s latest inflation figures show why household finances remain a politically sensitive issue. Annual consumer inflation eased to 15.43% in July from 15.91% in June, but food inflation was reported at 20.31%, meaning many everyday food prices continued to rise considerably faster than the overall consumer-price index.
Tinubu’s government has argued that reforms introduced since 2023 including removing the petrol subsidy and changing the country’s foreign-exchange system were necessary to stabilize public finances and attract investment. Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele said in August that the policies helped Nigeria avert a deeper economic crisis, while acknowledging the hardship associated with the transition.
There have been signs of stronger economic performance. Nigeria’s economy expanded by 4.43% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with a year earlier, helped by growth in both oil and non-oil industries. Moody’s also recently changed Nigeria’s sovereign credit outlook from stable to positive, citing improved external resilience and stronger economic conditions.
Those improvements have not eliminated pressure on ordinary households. High fuel, food, transportation and borrowing costs remain significant concerns as Nigeria approaches the 2027 election, creating a gap between improving macroeconomic indicators and the financial conditions experienced by many families.
The wage dispute carries broader significance because Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and one of its largest economies. Governments across Africa have faced similar pressure to balance wage increases and social support against concerns about public spending, inflation and debt, making Nigeria’s handling of worker demands closely watched by investors and policymakers across the region.
The Federal Workers Forum argues that higher government revenue and stronger oil earnings provide room for an immediate salary adjustment. The government has not announced acceptance of the N300,000 proposal, and the demand remains a proposal from the forum rather than a newly agreed national wage.
For Tinubu’s administration, the issue adds another test of whether improving economic statistics can translate into tangible gains for Nigerians. For workers, the central question is simpler: whether their monthly pay can keep pace with the cost of basic necessities as the country heads toward another national election.
