Public servants across Nigeria have been directed to commence a three-day warning strike after the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) said the Federal Government had failed to adequately respond to workers' demands over the rising cost of living.

The industrial action is scheduled to begin at midnight on Friday, October 2, 2026, and run through Sunday, October 4.

The directive was contained in a circular dated October 1 and signed by the council's National Secretary, Olowoyo Gbenga. The circular instructed the leadership of the council's affiliated unions at both national and state levels to mobilise their members for the action.

The council directed public servants working for the Federal Government, state governments and local government authorities to participate in the warning strike.

The decision follows an earlier letter sent by the JNPSNC to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on September 21. The council had given the Federal Government until September 30 to take action on issues it considered critical to the welfare and purchasing power of workers.

Among the central demands is a reduction in the pump price of petrol to ₦500 per litre. The council has also called for an immediate wage award to help workers cope with increased living costs.

Another major demand is the establishment of a tripartite committee to begin discussions on a new national minimum wage ahead of 2027. The council has previously called for the new minimum wage negotiations to begin early enough to prevent delays in its eventual implementation.

The unions' position comes against the backdrop of continuing concerns over household expenses, transportation costs, food prices and the purchasing power of workers.

In its latest circular, the JNPSNC said economic pressures were having a serious impact on workers, their dependants and vulnerable Nigerians. The council described the situation as increasingly difficult and said the warning strike was intended to draw attention to the issues it had raised with the Federal Government.

The council had previously warned that the strike would proceed if its September 30 deadline passed without concrete action from the government. Reports published before the deadline showed that the unions were awaiting President Tinubu's Independence Day address for indications of whether the government would respond to their demands.

The JNPSNC comprises eight public-sector unions, including the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives. Other affiliates include unions representing workers in public corporations, technical and recreational services, public-service administrative roles, printing and publishing, and agriculture and allied services.

The council's action is a warning strike rather than an indefinite industrial action, with the current notice covering October 2 to October 4.

The Federal Government's response to the workers' demands could determine whether the dispute ends after the warning action or develops into further negotiations and possible industrial measures.

For now, the JNPSNC has directed its affiliated unions and public servants covered by the action to proceed with the three-day strike as scheduled.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia