The Federal Government has announced plans to commence the payment of the outstanding N35,000 wage award arrears owed to federal civil servants.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on Monday in Abuja.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa, the outstanding arrears will be paid in instalments, with workers set to receive N35,000 per month for five months.
The OAGF clarified that although the April 2025 salary would be paid separately, the first tranche of the wage award arrears would be released immediately after the April salary payment.
“The wage award arrears would not be paid with the April 2025 salary; it will come immediately after the salary is paid,” the statement read.
The Federal Government had earlier disbursed wage awards to federal workers for five months as part of efforts to cushion the impact of economic reforms. However, five months’ arrears remained unpaid.
The OAGF reiterated the government’s commitment to fully implementing all policies and agreements relating to staff remuneration and welfare, noting that such efforts were geared towards enhancing productivity and operational efficiency across ministries, departments, and agencies.
The N35,000 wage award was introduced in 2023 as a palliative measure to support workers following the removal of the petrol subsidy and other economic adjustments.
Earlier in January this year, the Federal Government assured workers that it would clear the arrears of the N35,000 wage award, just as it also said the government had resumed the payment of the wage award.
The government also reiterated its commitment to addressing issues in the National Minimum Wage agreement reached with the Organised Labour in 2023.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, disclosed the government’s commitment towards implementing agreements with trade unions during separate meetings with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress and Congress of University Academics, in Abuja.
Earlier this month, the Nigeria Labour Congress criticised the Federal Government over the delay in the payment of the minimum wage for certain workers in the federal civil service.
The Federal Government had earlier blamed the delay in payment on the prolonged approval of the 2025 budget.
