The Federal Government has issued a clarification on reports surrounding the approval and implementation of a 40 per cent peculiar allowance for federal civil servants, stating that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) did not approve or transmit any such implementation directive.
The clarification was issued following widespread reports suggesting that the allowance had been formally approved and communicated for execution across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). The government explained that the peculiar allowance matter falls within defined institutional processes that assign specific responsibilities to different agencies.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the OHCSF, Eno Olotu, the circular being referenced in public discussions was issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on 23 April 2026. The statement emphasized that the OHCSF neither transmitted nor approved the circular to labour unions or negotiating bodies. The clarification was intended to correct public interpretation of administrative roles related to the peculiar allowance.
The OHCSF further explained that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation convened a meeting on 12 May 2026 with stakeholders, including representatives of organised labour and the NSIWC. The meeting was described as an intervention aimed at fostering dialogue and preventing industrial tensions, not as an approval forum for the peculiar allowance.
The statement also referenced earlier welfare-related announcements made in April 2026, which included adjustments to allowances such as duty tour, estacode, and book provisions, alongside a ₦10 billion housing loan scheme for civil servants. The clarification distinguished these welfare measures from the separate discussions and processes concerning the peculiar allowance.
It stressed that the statutory authority for issuing salary structure circulars resides with the NSIWC, which released the relevant document dated 23 April 2026. The OHCSF noted that confusion arose from the interpretation of administrative engagements and formal approval processes within the civil service structure.
Officials stated that the clarification is necessary to maintain transparency and ensure that stakeholders clearly understand the distinction between advisory meetings and formal policy approvals. The government also reaffirmed its commitment to continuous engagement with labour unions to sustain industrial harmony within the public service.
The development comes amid ongoing discussions between government institutions and organised labour over broader salary and welfare adjustments linked to the implementation of public sector reforms. Labour representatives have consistently called for clarity and timely execution of agreed welfare packages, including allowances affecting workers’ remuneration.
