Government Orders Salary Deductions From All Nigerian Workers, Gives Reasons
The President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government has ordered continuous salary deductions from federal workers to recover “excess payments” made in December 2024, blaming the situation on a system error.
The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) confirmed in a Friday statement, signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa, that deductions are ongoing and will continue until the overpaid sums are fully recovered.
“There were cases of overpayments in December 2024 due to a system error. The error has been corrected, and deductions in respect of the overpayments from the salaries of affected workers are ongoing and shall continue until such overpayments are fully recovered,” the statement read.
The development has sparked widespread outrage among federal workers, many of whom were unaware that the extra money received in December was an error. With the rising cost of living, the unexpected deductions have left many employees frustrated and struggling to meet their financial obligations.
The OAGF dismissed complaints of underpayment. He insisted that salaries paid in January and February 2025 were normal, as previous increases were only temporary due to accumulated arrears.
“Payment of normal salaries after exhausting the various arrears began in January 2025, which made some workers think that they were shortchanged when in actual sense, it was their real salaries.
A glance at the current salary table will substantiate this further,” the statement read. The OAGF added that federal workers had received various arrears in the last quarter of 2024, including payments for the minimum wage adjustment, the 25% and 35% salary increase, and wage awards.
These payments, it said, had inflated salaries between October and December, leading some employees to mistakenly believe their pay had been cut in 2025. Advertisements The government has made it clear that deductions will persist until all overpaid sums have been recovered.
The OAGF also stated that unless a new salary structure is implemented, the amounts paid in January and February 2025 will remain unchanged. “Barring any future salary adjustments, the salaries paid in January and February 2025 shall remain unchanged until a review by the Federal Government,” it added. As federal workers continue to endure salary deductions, many are also waiting for unpaid promotion arrears.
The OAGF acknowledged the delay but placed responsibility on the Standing Committee on Promotion and Salary Arrears in the Budget Office of the Federation, which it said was still compiling and vetting arrears submitted by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
“According to the OAGF, batches 1 to 6 of the promotion arrears payments have been fully processed, with further payments awaiting approval from the Budget Office,” the statement noted.
For thousands of federal workers already struggling under the weight of inflation and economic hardship, the government’s position offers little relief. Many are now forced to adjust their budgets and take loans to cope with the unexpected deductions.
