HERE ARE THE PAY PROBLEMS, AND THE REFORMS!

Problem: Multiple salary structures, salaries not based on job evaluations or classifications, and distortions in government pay and relativities between salaries.

Reform Actions:
- Edozien Panel 2004
- Shonekan Panel 2005
- Belgore Committee 2009
- Diejomaoh Committee 2010

Main Achievements: This reform led to the consolidation of salaries and a 15% pay increase in 2007, and more people now receive their pay promptly. The adoption of the ₦18, 000 national minimum wage in 2011 was a major improvement. Furthermore, it introduced four new allowances namely: Job-Specific Allowance (JSA), Risk-Related Allowance (RRA), Relocation Allowance (RA), and Scarce-Skills Allowance (SSA).

Key Challenges: Many public servants still feel that there is wide disparity in pay scales, and that civil servants are unduly disadvantaged. There is no link between pay and performance and also no clear link between job evaluation and grading, as parastatals are unduly favoured. There is wide gap between pay of political office holders and mainstream civil servants. Again, the pay reform has not appreciably increased the purchasing power of public servants and has not reduced corruption in the Service. There is more to do in this area, and a good starting point is to carry out a comprehensive job evaluation exercise in the entire public sector. 

Reference:  Public Service Reforms in Nigeria (1999-2014) - A Comprehensive Review

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