Anxiety, Anger Grip Federal Civil Service Over Salary Cuts, Unpaid Arrears

Anxiety and anger are spreading across the Federal Civil Service as workers in ministries, departments and agencies grapple with unexplained salary reductions, mounting unpaid arrears and the absence of official communication from the Federal Government.

According to Vanguard, labour sources warned that the growing discontent could trigger widespread industrial unrest if urgent steps are not taken to address the grievances.

Investigations revealed 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 described the situation as unprecedented, especially as some state governments are reportedly paying higher wages than the Federal Government – a development officials admit has never occurred in the history of Nigeria’s minimum wage regime.

At the heart of the complaints is the non-issuance of pay slips since September 2025, leaving employees unable to track deductions or understand the steady decline in their take-home pay.

Affected staff in the Federal Ministry of Information; Labour and Employment; Agriculture; and Education; as well as agencies under them – including the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria and the Nigerian Television Authority – said salaries have been reducing monthly without explanation.

The development, workers said, has fuelled suspicion and eroded trust within the system.

Adding to the tension is the non-payment of three months’ wage award arrears, which workers said remain unsettled despite repeated assurances from authorities.

Insiders lamented that the wage award, introduced to cushion economic hardship, has instead become another source of frustration due to prolonged delays.

Promotion arrears have also emerged as a major sore point. Workers promoted in 2023 reportedly received only partial payments in 2024, while those elevated in 2024 and 2025 are yet to receive any arrears.

The backlog, cutting across several MDAs, has left some senior officers earning the same salaries as their subordinates years after promotion.

Further aggravating the crisis is the non-payment of the 20 per cent weighing-in allowance since August 2024, despite its statutory status.

Workers said the allowance, which constitutes a significant portion of their earnings, has disappeared from payrolls without prior notice.

Similarly, the 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance, approved by former President Muhammadu Buhari for federal workers, was last paid in July 2024, with accumulated arrears yet to be settled.

Sources within organised labour described the mood in federal offices as “volatile,” cautioning that continued silence from the authorities could push workers towards protests or industrial action.

“Morale is at its lowest ebb. People cannot explain their salaries, promotions mean nothing anymore, and allowances have vanished,” a senior civil servant told Vanguard.

As pressure mounts, workers are demanding immediate transparency on salary deductions, release of outstanding pay slips and prompt settlement of all arrears.

They warned that failure to act swiftly could deepen the crisis and disrupt service delivery across the federal public service.