Some federal agencies operating unapproved salary structures — Commission

The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission has raised concerns over the continued operation of unauthorised salary structures and allowances by some Federal Government agencies.

The commission warned that the practice undermines established remuneration guidelines in the public service.

It also disclosed that some government agencies were refusing to cooperate with its oversight activities, particularly in ensuring compliance with approved salary arrangements.

The chairman of the commission, Major General Junaidu Bindawa, raised the concerns during a courtesy visit to the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, where he sought stronger collaboration to address irregularities in public sector remuneration.

This is according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the commission’s Head of Press and Protocol, Emmanuel Njoku.

The statement read, “The Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Major General Junaidu S. Bindawa (Rtd), PhD, has observed that some agencies are not cooperating with the commission in its oversight role of ensuring the correct implementation of salary approvals.”

Bindawa expressed concern that the refusal of certain agencies to cooperate with the commission was making it difficult to ensure the proper implementation of salary approvals across government institutions.

The chairman consequently called for closer cooperation with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to identify agencies violating remuneration guidelines and ensure appropriate corrective measures.

“In view of this, I proposed stronger collaboration with the Office to address such infractions, including drawing the OAGF’s attention to non-compliant agencies and seeking appropriate intervention or sanctions,” Bindawa was quoted as saying in the statement.

The proposed arrangement would enable both institutions to share information on salary administration and address cases involving unauthorised remuneration practices.

The commission explained that the visit was intended to strengthen institutional cooperation and address emerging challenges in public service salary administration.

Responding, Ogunjimi acknowledged the importance of collaboration between the two institutions, particularly in ensuring that remuneration decisions were supported by reliable financial information.

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The Accountant-General explained that his office, as the Treasurer of the Federation, had responsibility for managing government receipts and withdrawals, placing it in a position to assess revenue-related claims made by public institutions.

He emphasised the need to verify internally generated revenue figures submitted by government agencies, particularly when such claims were used to justify requests for salary increases or reviews of existing remuneration packages.

The development raises concerns about the reliability of financial information used in determining salary adjustments for government agencies and the need for stronger scrutiny before such approvals are granted.

Ogunjimi also appealed to the commission to review the peculiar allowance previously approved for employees of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

He requested that the allowance be brought into line with those applicable to employees of some other government agencies operating in the financial sector.

The Accountant-General assured the commission of his office’s willingness to assist in identifying and addressing irregularities in public service salary administration.

He also welcomed the proposed partnership and pledged to provide professional support whenever required.

According to the statement, the collaboration is expected to improve the verification of revenue claims, strengthen compliance with approved salary structures and promote a more data-driven approach to remuneration decisions.

The commission added that the partnership would support efforts to ensure that salary administration reflected productivity considerations and established government approvals.

The development comes barely three months after President Bola Tinubu ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of the Federal Government’s payroll systems and agencies on August 29, 2026, following concerns over ghost workers, fictitious agencies and weaknesses in financial controls.

The audit, which covered the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System and other government financial platforms, was designed to uncover payroll irregularities and strengthen accountability in public expenditure.

The commission had earlier warned in April 2023 that some federal agencies were implementing unauthorised salary increases, allowances and fringe benefits, insisting that all remuneration adjustments must receive the necessary government approvals.