The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) has formally demanded that the Nigerian federal minimum wage be increased from N70,000 to N300,000, with a top salary of N1.5 million for the highest-ranking civil servants, according to a letter sent to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly on September 2, 2026.
The letter, signed by FWF National Coordinator Andrew Emelieze and General Secretary Ogundele Ayodele, was addressed to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives through the Clerk of the National Assembly. Additional recipients included President Tinubu, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
FWF Alleges Incomplete Implementation of N70,000 Minimum Wage
The forum argued that the N70,000 minimum wage approved in 2024 was never fully implemented, with workers receiving only a flat N40,000 increase regardless of grade level. In the letter, the group stated: "The Federal Government has not fully implemented the new national minimum wage since July 2024. We have been in the battle for full consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage."
The FWF described the current situation as an emergency, insisting that the statutory three-year review cycle should not prevent urgent government action. "It is suicidal for the federal workers to continue in this ugly situation," the letter read. "Federal workers are dying in instalments; we are suffering in silence; our salary is too poor; it is not taking us home."
Proposed Salary Structure and Additional Demands
The forum attached a full pay scale to the letter. Under the proposal, a Level 1 Step 1 worker would earn N300,000, rising by N30,000 per level up to Level 7 at N480,000. Higher levels would earn N510,000 at Level 8, N550,000 at Level 9, N600,000 at Level 10, N700,000 at Level 12, N750,000 at Level 13, N800,000 at Level 14, N1 million at Level 15, N1.2 million at Level 16, and N1.5 million at Level 17.
Beyond wages, the FWF demanded payment of all outstanding salaries and promotion arrears, implementation of a 40 per cent peculiar allowance, a permanent Cost of Living Allowance, family support payments, comprehensive health insurance, and housing and car loan schemes for federal workers. The group also called for free education for children of federal workers in federal institutions, reduced taxation on allowances, and a broader social security programme for unemployed Nigerians.
Pension Concerns and Calls for Investigation
On pensions, the FWF asked the National Assembly to investigate claims that part of workers' contributory pension savings was being borrowed by the executive. The forum demanded an immediate stop and full refund if the claims were confirmed.
The group also claimed that some workers had borrowed from microfinance banks and mobile loan applications just to cover transport to work, while others had resorted to cooking with firewood because they could no longer afford gas.
Broader Labour Push for Annual Wage Reviews
Earlier, Festus Osifo, president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), said that organised labour is pushing for an annual increase in the national minimum wage paid to workers in Nigeria. Osifo stated that members of the TUC and their colleagues in the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have begun talks on the issue.
The FWF's demand comes amid rising living costs in Nigeria, with labour stakeholders describing the minimum wage as a key safeguard against poverty and worker exploitation. The National Assembly has yet to respond publicly to the letter.
