The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has dismissed reports claiming it approved a 40 per cent peculiar allowance for federal civil servants, stating that no such approval was granted or officially communicated to labour unions.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Mrs. Eno Olotu, Director of Press and Public Relations.
The statement issued on Wednesday explained that the responsibility for issuing and communicating circulars relating to salaries and allowances belongs exclusively to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), which released the circular being referenced on 23 April 2026.
According to the office, contrary to media reports, it neither approved the allowance nor forwarded any communication on the matter to the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) or any labour union.
It also clarified that the meeting convened by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, on 12 May 2026 was purely interventionist and conciliatory, aimed at encouraging dialogue between organised labour and the NSIWC, and was not meant to approve the allowance.
The OHCSF recalled that during a press briefing on 24 April 2026, it unveiled a broader welfare package for civil servants. The package included adjustments to duty tour allowances, an upward review of peculiar allowances across salary structures, increases in estacode and book allowances, alongside other benefits, including a ₦10 billion housing loan scheme for public servants.
The office added that the Federal Government’s welfare initiatives were introduced to improve working conditions within the civil service and promote industrial harmony.