Hardship: Civil Servants Demand N500 Fuel, Wage Award From Tinubu

Civil servants under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side, have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene in the worsening economic hardship facing workers and their families.

In a letter addressed to the President at the State House, Abuja, the workers demanded that the Federal Government stabilise the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at N500 per litre, approve an immediate Wage Award and review salaries and allowances across the public service.

They also called for the immediate constitution of a committee to negotiate a new National Minimum Wage ahead of January 2027.

The council gave the Federal Government until Wednesday, September 30, 2026, to act, warning that rising hardship was creating palpable tension among workers and Nigerians.

The workers said the increase in fuel prices to N1,430 per litre and above in some locations had further eroded their purchasing power and driven up the cost of food, transportation, housing, healthcare and other essential services.

According to the council, the removal of fuel subsidy three years ago had triggered an astronomical rise in petrol prices and produced multiplier effects across the economy.

It rejected food palliatives as an inadequate and unsustainable response, urging the government instead to establish a fuel intervention fund to reduce the pump price to N500 per litre.

The JNPSNC also endorsed proposals attributed to Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero, including the sale of sufficient crude oil in naira to local refineries and expansion of national crude storage capacity.

On workers’ welfare, the council demanded a Wage Award covering federal, state and local government employees, alongside an upward review of salaries and allowances.

It proposed N500,000 as the minimum monthly salary for a Grade Level 01, Step 1 officer under the proposed 2027 salary structure.

The council further called for inflation-linked salary adjustments, subsidised transportation and affordable housing for public servants.

It urged President Tinubu to act on the demands before September 30 to avert further tension, expressing hope that his Independence Day broadcast would address the workers’ concerns.