Workers begin 3-day warning strike nationwide over living costs

Workers under the aegis of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) have directed all federal, state, and local government employees, including staff across all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) nationwide to embark on a three-day warning strike over associated living costs.

The council instructed union officials across all levels of government to ensure total compliance with the industrial action, citing worsening economic and mental hardships experienced by workers and vulnerable citizens.

The directive affects members across major public sector bodies under the JNPSNC umbrella, including the Nigerian Civil Service Union, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, and several other allied employee associations.

The industrial action follows the Federal Government’s failure to act on a list of demands submitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu via a letter dated September 21, 2026.

Recall that the council had also on September 29, threatened a three-day warning strike should its demands for the petrol price to be cut to N500 a litre, a wage award and other measures to cushion the hardship in the country not be met or addressed by President Tinubu during his Independence Anniversary Address to the nation on October 1.

The Union leadership expressed deep disappointment that President Tinubu’s Independence Anniversary address omitted measures to address their core grievances, which include a demand for the government to take urgent intervention steps to slash the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N500 per litre from current rates, the immediate approval of a nationwide wage award to buffer workers against severe inflationary pressures, and the immediate establishment of a tripartite committee to commence negotiations ahead of the new national minimum wage cycle expected in 2027.

According to the circular issued by JNPSNC National Secretary Olowoyo Gbenga, the warning strike runs from midnight on Friday, October 2, 2026, to Sunday, October 4, 2026.

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 21st 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 2nd October, 2026 to Sunday October 4th, 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 days warning strike is now!!! Please, disseminate the information!!! Surely, there is victory for us!!!”

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also given its tacit backing to the movement, pointing out that structural inflation, stagnant wages, rising transportation costs, and general insecurity have drastically undermined the purchasing power of Nigerian workers.