FG Begins Payment of N35,000 Wage Arrears, Implements N70,000 Minimum Wage
The Nigerian government has begun paying the five-month wage award arrears of N35,000 to civil servants, starting from the end of May 2025. This comes alongside the implementation of a new N70,000 minimum wage for federal employees.
Director of Media at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, confirmed the development in an exclusive interview with Alphanewsng. He noted that the wage arrears would be paid in installments over the next four months.
“We have commenced the payment of N35,000 wage arrears. One month has been paid, and four months are remaining,” Mokwa said, clarifying that some agencies, like INEC, are handling their payments independently.
The N35,000 wage award was introduced as a temporary measure before the new minimum wage was approved. President Bola Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage bill into law in July 2024.
This update follows criticism from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), whose spokesperson, Benson Upah, accused the federal government of neglecting workers’ welfare. He described the delay as a “betrayal of trust” and “shameful,” citing the rising economic hardship faced by civil servants.
While the federal government has now implemented the new minimum wage across its ministries, agencies, and parastatals, there are still concerns over its full enforcement at both federal and state levels.