The Nigerian government has attributed the delay in February 2026 salary payments for several federal entities to budgetary shortfalls, assuring affected workers that resolutions are underway.
In a statement released on Monday, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) specified that the delay impacted the Federal Ministry of Steel Development and four agencies: the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, National Rural Electrification Agency, Kamuku National Park, and the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria. The explanation followed concerns raised by civil servants over non-payment.
According to the OAGF spokesperson, Bawa Mokwa, the root cause was a shortfall in the personnel cost allocations budgeted for the affected Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The statement clarified that salaries for all other federal workers across the country had been processed and paid as scheduled, isolating the issue to these specific organisations.
The OAGF confirmed it has officially communicated with the impacted MDAs, directing them to coordinate with the Cash Management Office under the Federal Ministry of Finance to address the funding gaps and facilitate prompt payment. This process involves reconciling the allocated budgets with the actual salary liabilities for the period.
Separately, the statement addressed a related concern for civil servants whose salary accounts are with Standard Chartered Bank. The OAGF verified that salaries for these employees were indeed paid to the bank but became inaccessible due to the institution’s internal policy requiring a minimum account balance of seven million naira (N7 million). The Office stated it is engaging with relevant parties to resolve this access issue swiftly.
The OAGF reiterated that the delay was strictly a result of the initial allocation shortfalls and not administrative failure, emphasizing that all due salaries will be remitted once the budgetary adjustments are finalised. The office urged affected staff to remain patient while collaborative efforts between the OAGF, the Finance Ministry, and the concerned MDAs continue to rectify the situation.
Timely salary disbursement is critical for public sector morale and operational continuity. This incident highlights the direct link between budgetary planning in personnel cost allocations and the financial well-being of federal employees. The government’s acknowledgement and directed remedial actions aim to restore normalcy and maintain trust in the public finance management system.
