The Federal Government has commenced the long-anticipated payment of N35,000 wage award arrears to federal workers, marking a significant step in its pledge to alleviate the financial strain on public servants amid prevailing economic hardships.
This is as the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) also debunked recent media reports alleging that the ₦35,000 wage award had been excluded from the 2025 Budget.
Clarifying the misinformation in a statement on Monday, the OAGF Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa, emphasized that no such declaration was made by the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Babatunde Ogunjimi.
“There was no press briefing by the Accountant General on the matter of the wage award. Any report attributing such claims to him is completely false,” Mokwa said in the statement.
Mokwa, in the statement confirmed that the disbursement process is underway, with many federal employees already receiving the first tranche.
“The arrears are structured to be paid in five monthly instalments of ₦35,000 each, totaling ₦175,000 per beneficiary,” the statement read.
The initiative, introduced last year as a temporary relief measure, was part of the federal government’s broader effort to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and ongoing economic reforms.
The Office reassured public servants that all outstanding arrears will be settled in accordance with the government’s commitment to organized labour and the wider civil service.
It urged workers who have not yet received their payments to remain patient, noting that the federal payroll system is actively processing the entitlements of all affected employees.
The wage award was introduced as an interim measure pending the conclusion of ongoing negotiations between the government and labour unions on a new national minimum wage.
Over the past several months, organized labour has repeatedly pressed the government to honor its promise, citing the growing cost of living and erosion of workers’ purchasing power due to inflation.
As payments begin to roll out, the move, according to the statement, is expected to bring some relief to public sector employees who have been grappling with soaring prices of food, transportation, and other essentials.
The OAGF reiterated the government’s commitment to workers’ welfare, promising transparency and diligence in the execution of all obligations related to the wage award.
