The Nigerian government has commenced payment of five-month wage award arrears of N35,000 to civil servants since the end of May 2025, according to a government official.
Bawa Mokwa, Director of Media at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, confirmed in an exclusive interview with BenriNews on Monday that the federal government has also implemented a N70,000 minimum wage payment to all its employees.
The clarification comes ahead of the resumption of work after the Eid-Al-Adha holidays and following criticism from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Labour's Criticism and Government's Response
NLC spokesperson Benson Upah had earlier berated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration over delays in payment of wage awards and allowances during an Arise Television interview on Sallah day.
Upah described the delay as a "betrayal of trust" and "shameful," claiming the government had neglected workers' welfare as economic hardship took a toll on civil servants.
"This is a betrayal of trust and an abuse of our patience," Upah had declared. "It's completely unacceptable."
In response, Mokwa explained that the government has begun paying the arrears in installments. "We have commenced the payment of N35,000 wage arrears. Except for some agencies that are independently paying for the wage award, for example, the Independent National Electoral Commission," he told BenriNews.
Payment Schedule for Arrears
According to Mokwa, the N35,000 wage award was an interim solution by the federal government before the N70,000 minimum wage approval.
"This was done in five months, but Labour argued that the payment didn't commence immediately, having a five-month arrears. Of the five months, we have paid the first month. Four months are remaining, which would be paid in installments," he explained.
Mokwa also clarified that the federal government has commenced the minimum wage payment across its ministries, agencies, and parastatals. "On the minimum wage pay, it has been implemented across the board," he added.
Efforts to reach Upah for comments on these developments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Background on Minimum Wage Implementation
President Tinubu signed the minimum wage bill into law in July. However, despite the approval, there have been complaints about its full implementation at both federal and state government levels nearly a year later.
The implementation of the minimum wage and payment of arrears remain critical issues for Nigerian workers as they continue to face economic challenges in the country.
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