FG approves allowance increase, Housing Loan Scheme for Civil Servants

The Federal Government has approved a comprehensive review and upward adjustment of welfare packages for civil servants, including increased peculiar allowances and full payment of Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) for officers attending approved training programmes.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, disclosed the development on Friday in Abuja, describing it as part of ongoing reforms to reposition the federal civil service and boost productivity.

According to her, the reviewed peculiar allowance will apply to officers on both the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure and the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure, with adjustments designed to improve take-home pay across all grade levels.

She also announced that civil servants attending training at designated institutions such as the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), and federal training centres in Lagos, Calabar, Enugu, Maiduguri, Ilorin and Kaduna will now receive 100 per cent Duty Tour Allowance, even when travel is not required.

“This sends a clear message that government is committed to investing in its workforce,” she said.

Walson-Jack added that key allowances, including estacode and book allowances, have also been reviewed upward to reflect current economic realities.

She further revealed that the Federal Executive Council has approved an enhanced exit benefits package for civil servants under the Contributory Pension Scheme, effective January 1, 2026, providing retiring officers with 100 per cent of their annual emoluments as additional benefits.

The Head of Service also announced the activation of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, which covers work-related injuries, disability, occupational diseases, and death, in addition to existing life insurance provisions.

In a further welfare measure, she disclosed a N10 billion housing loan scheme for civil servants to support home ownership, to be implemented through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board.

She said the reforms reflect the administration’s commitment under President Bola Tinubu to improving worker welfare and strengthening public sector performance.

Walson-Jack urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies to sustain cooperation in implementing the reforms, which she said are aimed at delivering a more efficient and motivated civil service.