Nigerian Public Servants Threaten Strike Over Fuel Prices, Wages

Nigerian public servants, organised under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), have threatened a three-day warning strike starting October 2 if the federal government does not meet their demands by September 30. The council, comprising eight public-sector unions, wants the pump price of petrol reduced to ₦500 per litre, an immediate wage award, and negotiations for a new minimum wage of not less than ₦500,000 from 2027.

The JNPSNC wrote to President Bola Tinubu on September 21 outlining these demands and warned that failure to address them, particularly in the Independence Day broadcast, would trigger industrial action. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has backed the public servants' threat, and the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) has also endorsed the demands, urging workers to mobilise for any declared action.

“Should the issues of fuel pump prices and the wage award not be addressed by September 30, especially during the Independence anniversary speech by President Tinubu, public servants nationwide would commence a three-day warning strike.”

The FWF communiqué, signed by National Coordinator Andrew Emelieze and General Secretary Ogundele Ayodele, called for the petrol price reduction to extend to kerosene, diesel, and cooking gas. It expressed disappointment at the government's lack of serious commitment and said workers were looking to the October 1 broadcast for concrete action.