The Nigerian government has officially commenced the payment of N35,000 wage award arrears to federal government workers, according to a statement released on Monday by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF).
Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the OAGF, confirmed that numerous federal government employees have already received their payments on Monday, marking the beginning of the disbursement process.
The statement clarified that Mr. Babatunde Ogunjimi, the Accountant General of the Federation, never claimed that the N35,000 wage award was excluded from the N54.99 trillion 2025 budget, contrary to some reports circulating in the media.
"The office said the Accountant General of the Federation didn't brief the press on the wage award issue and assured that outstanding arrears would be paid as promised by the government," the statement read.
According to the OAGF, the payments will be distributed in installments, with workers receiving N35,000 monthly for a period of five months. This implementation fulfills the government's commitment to support federal employees amid economic challenges.
The wage award was initially introduced as a temporary relief measure for workers pending the conclusion of negotiations for a new national minimum wage. The payment of these arrears comes at a crucial time when many civil servants have been anticipating financial support from the government.
Federal workers who have confirmed receipt of the payments have expressed relief, though labor unions continue to advocate for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage to address the rising cost of living in Nigeria.
