We’re On Strike Today For All Struggling Nigerians – Public Sector Workers

Nigerian public servants have commenced a three-day nationwide warning strike today over worsening economic hardship, soaring fuel prices, and the federal government’s failure to address demands contained in a letter sent to President Bola Tinubu.

The industrial action, which takes effect from midnight on Friday, 2 October, to Sunday, 4 October 2026, is expected to affect public servants across the federal, state and local government services as the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) directed its affiliates and workers nationwide to withdraw their services in solidarity with Nigerians struggling under rising living costs.

The directive was contained in a circular signed by the national secretary of JNPSNC, Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga, and addressed to the national presidents and general secretaries of affiliated unions, as well as the state chairmen and secretaries.

The council said the action was necessary because the economic and mental pressures confronting workers and their families had reached an unbearable level.

It directed all public servants to participate in the warning strike, stressing that the struggle was not limited to individual workers but concerned the welfare of their dependents and vulnerable Nigerians.

The JNPSNC had earlier issued an ultimatum to the federal government, demanding urgent intervention to address the economic hardship facing workers.

In a letter dated 21 September 2026, addressed to President Tinubu, the council placed its demands before the presidency and warned that failure to respond would trigger the planned three-day warning strike.

Among its demands were the stabilisation of petrol prices at N500 per litre, an immediate wage award for workers at the federal, state and local government levels, upward review of salaries and allowances, and the immediate constitution of a committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage ahead of January 2027.

The council’s latest circular makes it clear that the warning strike was the implementation of that earlier threat, following what it described as the government’s failure to address the requests set out in the 21 September letter.

The circular reads, “Please, recall the position of the National leadership of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council that if Mr President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, refuses to address our requests as contained in the letter to his exalted office (dated 21 September 2026), the three-day warning strike earlier scheduled shall commence immediately.”

Consequent upon the above, the strike shall start with effect from midnight of Friday, 2 October 2026 to Sunday, 4 October 2026.”

“In the same vein, 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 economic and mental hardships are becoming unbearable and frustrating. The time to act and mobilise workers for the three-day warning strike is now! Surely, there is victory for us!”