Public servants begin three-day strike over FG’s failure to slash petrol price to N500 per litre

Public servants under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) have commenced a three-day warning strike over the federal government’s failure to address their demands, including reducing the price of petrol to N500 per litre.

The industrial action began at midnight on Friday, October 2, and is expected to continue until Sunday, October 4.

The strike notice was contained in a circular issued on Thursday by Gbenga Olowoyo, national secretary of the JNPSNC and general secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU).

In the circular titled “Declaration of three day Warning Strike; action with immediate effect,” the JNPSNC directed its affiliated unions to ensure total compliance with the industrial action.

The council had on Tuesday threatened to commence the strike if the federal government failed to reduce the price of petrol to N500 per litre and approve a new wage award for workers.

Olowoyo said the September 30 ultimatum earlier issued to the government to address the rising cost of petrol and commence negotiations for a new national minimum wage remained sacrosanct.

He said the council had written to President Bola Tinubu on September 21, outlining three demands, including the commencement of negotiations for a minimum wage of no less than N500,000 from 2027 and a reduction in petrol price to N500 per litre.

In Thursday’s circular, Olowoyo said the failure of the president to address the demands had left the unions with no option but to proceed with the strike.

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

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