Public servants across Nigeria are set to commence a three-day warning strike declared by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council over what the workers described as worsening economic conditions and growing hardship among employees and their families.
The industrial action is scheduled to run from midnight on Friday, October 2, to Sunday, October 4, 2026, with the council directing its national and state structures to mobilise workers for the exercise.
The directive was contained in a circular dated October 1 and signed by the National Secretary of the JNPSNC, Olowoyo Gbenga.
The council attributed the decision to the Federal Government’s failure to respond to demands earlier presented to President Bola Tinubu in a letter dated September 21.
The workers called on employees in the federal, state and local government services to participate in the action, saying the prevailing economic situation had placed considerable pressure on workers and their dependants.
“All public servants in the services of federal, state and local governments are to join the warning strike because an injury to one is an injury to all, most especially, all workers, their dependants, vulnerable and hapless Nigerians are groaning terribly under the present economic hardship,” the council stated.
Announcing the commencement of the action, the negotiating council said, “The strike shall start with effect from midnight on Friday, 2nd October, 2026 to Sunday October 4th, 2026.”
The council said the decision was also driven by what it described as increasing economic and psychological pressure on workers.
“The economic and mental hardships are becoming unbearable and frustrating,” it said.
The negotiating council had previously demanded measures from the Federal Government to ease the impact of the rising cost of living, including a reduction in petrol prices, an immediate wage award and negotiations towards a new national minimum wage before 2027.
Among its specific demands was a reduction of the pump price of petrol to N500 per litre, alongside the approval of a wage award for workers and the establishment of a tripartite committee to negotiate a fresh national minimum wage.
The demands followed sustained concerns over declining purchasing power as the prices of food, transportation and other essential household items continue to put pressure on workers.
The council directed its leaders to commence immediate mobilisation ahead of the strike, declaring, “The time to act and mobilise workers for the three-day warning strike is now!!!”
It also instructed its structures to circulate the strike notice widely among workers.
“Please, disseminate the information!!! Surely, there is victory for us!!!” the council added.
As of the time of filing the report, the JNPSNC maintained that the warning strike would commence as scheduled and involve public servants across the three tiers of government.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Ministry of Labour and Employment were unsuccessful as of press time.
