Public Servants Begin Three-Day Warning Strike Over Economic Hardship

ABUJA, Nigeria – Public servants across Nigeria’s federal, state and local governments have begun a three-day warning strike over economic hardship and the Federal Government’s failure, according to their union, to address demands on petrol prices, wages and the minimum wage.

The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) directed its members to commence the industrial action from midnight on Friday, October 2, through Sunday, October 4, 2026.

The directive was contained in a circular dated October 1 and signed by the council’s National Secretary, Olowoyo Gbenga.

The council said the strike followed the Federal Government’s failure to respond to requests contained in a September 21 letter to President Bola Tinubu.

It directed national and state leaders of its affiliate unions to mobilise public servants for the action. “The strike shall start with effect from midnight of Friday, 2nd October 2026 to Sunday October 4th, 2026,” the circular stated.

The JNPSNC had previously demanded a reduction in the petrol pump price to N500 per litre, an immediate wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage ahead of 2027.

About the Author

Mirian Gom

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Gom Mirian is a Nigerian journalist and editor at Africa Health Report (AHR), with more than a decade of experience covering health, development, humanitarian issues and public-interest affairs across Nigeria and Africa. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics and has additional training in data analytics, combining evidence-driven reporting with compelling human-centred storytelling. Her work examines the intersection of health, policy, economics, technology and social change, with a particular interest in how global decisions and emerging challenges affect communities across Africa. Her journalism has received professional recognition, including a Nestlé Award nomination for human-interest reporting. Follow her on X @mirian_linus.

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