The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has firmly distanced itself from media reports claiming it approved a 40 per cent peculiar allowance for federal civil servants, insisting the decision lies solely with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC).
In a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Eno Olotu, the OHCSF clarified that it “neither approved nor formally conveyed the approval of the allowance to the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) or any labour union.” The circular in question was issued by the NSIWC on 23 April 2026, the statement noted.
The clarification follows a meeting convened by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, described as “strictly an interventionist and conciliatory engagement aimed at facilitating dialogue between the organised labour under its jurisdiction and the NSIWC, in order to promote mutual understanding, and avert any breakdown in labour relations within the Federal Civil Service.”
This comes amid ongoing welfare discussions, with the HCSF recalling a press briefing on 24 April 2026, where the Federal Government announced a broader package. These entitlements include full Duty Tour Allowance for approved trainings, an upward review of Peculiar Allowance across grade levels on the Consolidated Salary Structure (CONPSS) and Consolidated Research and Associated Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), increases in Estacode and Book Allowance, and a ₦10 billion housing loan scheme to boost affordable home ownership for public servants.
The OHCSF reaffirmed its stance, stating it “remains committed to fostering peaceful labour relations and sustaining collaborative engagement with all stakeholders towards the continued advancement of industrial harmony in the Federal Civil Service.”
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