The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has refuted reports suggesting it approved a 40 per cent peculiar allowance for federal civil servants, clarifying that no such approval was issued or communicated to labour unions.
In a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Eno Olotu, the office said the statutory authority for issuing circulars on salaries and allowances lies solely with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), which released the referenced circular on 23 April 2026.
The OHCSF stressed that it neither approved nor transmitted any such allowance to the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) or any labour body.
It further explained that a meeting held on 12 May 2026, convened by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, was strictly an intervention aimed at encouraging dialogue between organised labour and the NSIWC, and not a platform for approving allowances.
The office also recalled that during a press briefing on 24 April 2026, it had outlined a broader welfare package for civil servants, including adjustments to duty tour allowances, a review of peculiar allowances across salary structures, increases in estacode and book allowances, and a ₦10 billion housing loan scheme for public servants.
According to the statement, these welfare initiatives are part of federal government efforts to improve working conditions in the civil service and promote industrial harmony.
