Govt Workers Vow To Strike From Friday If Fuel Doesn’t Fall To ₦500/Litre
Public servants under their umbrella organisation, the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), have threatened to embark on a three-day warning strike from tomorrow Friday should the Federal Government fail to cut the price of petrol to N500 from N1,400 and approve a new minimum wage for workers.
They issued the threat in a statement issued by Gbenga Olowoyo, National Secretary of JNPSNC and General Secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), on Tuesday.
According to the JNPSNC, the September 30 ultimatum earlier handed to the government to address the rising cost of petrol and begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage remained sacrosanct.
JNPSNC said the council had mobilised workers to embark on the industrial action should President Bola Tinubu fail to announce a drastic cut in petrol price and a new national minimum wage in his Independence Day speech.
“The three critical issues requiring urgent attention are as follows: reduction of fuel price to N500 per litre. The Federal Government should take urgent steps to bring down the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N500 per litre,” the statement reads.
“The Federal Government should urgently approve a wage award for Nigerian workers to cushion the effects of the prevailing harsh economic conditions being experienced by workers, their dependants, and vulnerable Nigerians.
“It is imperative to state clearly that the Independence Day address of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should adequately address these critical issues.
“Consequently, the council states that failure by the Federal Government to take the necessary steps to address these issues on or before 30th September 2026 will leave Nigerian workers with no option but to commence a three-day warning strike, with effect from Friday, 2nd October 2026, to press home their demands.”
Olowoyo said the council had on September 21 written a letter to Tinubu in which it made the three demands, including the commencement of negotiations for a minimum wage of not less than N500,000 from 2027, among others.
It, however, expressed displeasure that no visible action had been taken on the stated demands more than a week after the letter.
‘ADDRESS LANDING COSTS OF PETROL, SUPPORT OPERATORS’
The JNPSNC National Secretary said reducing petrol price could be achieved through the provision of an intervention fund to address the landing costs of the commodity and support oil and gas operators.
“It is equally important for the Federal Government to ensure the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery and operators of modular refineries at appropriate terms to facilitate increased domestic refining and help bring down the price of petroleum products,” Olowoyo said.
He argued that the current price of PMS, ranging from N1,450 to N2,000 and, in some locations outside major communities and cities, as high as N2,500 per litre, is unacceptable to Nigerian workers.
He said: “The council maintains that the economic hardship occasioned by the high cost of fuel is placing the survival of Nigerian workers, their dependants and the general populace under severe pressure, making it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to live normal and dignified lives”.
He said the council believed that urgent action on the demands would further enable public servants to consolidate their loyalty, commitment and productivity within the public service ecosystem.
Olowoyo added that the workers were also asking the Federal Government to urgently establish a tripartite committee to facilitate negotiations for the new minimum wage.
“The Nigerian workers’ demand for the immediate constitution of the committee is informed by the need to avoid any administrative or procedural delay that could affect the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage once it is eventually negotiated and passed into law by the National Assembly,” he added.
The JNPSNC is made up of eight public sector unions with members including the NCSU, Medical and Health Workers Union, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives.
Others are the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees; Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers; National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers; and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees.
