The Federal Government of Nigeria has commenced the payment of N35,000 wage arrears to federal civil servants across the country. This payment is part of a relief package aimed at easing the financial burden on workers following the removal of the fuel subsidy in 2023.
The arrears are being disbursed in monthly installments over a five-month period.According to Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), all outstanding wage arrears will be fully paid.
He assured workers that the Federal Government remains committed to honoring its financial obligations and ensuring that civil servants receive their due payments.
In response to misleading reports circulating online, the OAGF clarified that the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Babatunde Ogunjimi, did not state that the wage award was excluded from the 2025 budget.
The office emphasized that Ogunjimi has not made any public statement suggesting the wage arrears were omitted.
The OAGF reiterated that Mr. Ogunjimi had not granted any press interview regarding the wage award.
It stressed that the reports claiming otherwise are false and misleading. The agency reassured the public that all necessary budgetary provisions have been made to cover the wage arrears.
Last month, the OAGF announced that while April 2025 salaries would be paid separately, the first tranche of the wage arrears would follow immediately after.
This step was part of a planned payment structure to address outstanding obligations in a timely manner.
The N35,000 monthly wage award was part of a broader agreement reached between the government and labor unions in 2023. It serves as a temporary financial cushion for workers affected by rising living costs due to the fuel subsidy removal.
A cross-section of Civil Servants interviewed by Radio Nigeria reports that they expect the rest of the wage arrears.