FG Approves N70k Transport Allowance, TUC Kicks, Demands N300k Minimum Pay
The Federal Government has approved a N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public service workers across all levels for six months beginning November 2026.
The approval was contained in a statement signed by Annah Daniel, Head of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, after a conciliation meeting between government officials and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) leadership in Abuja on Tuesday.
The meeting, chaired by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, discussed workers’ welfare, the national minimum wage and outstanding allowances. This followed an earlier conciliation session held on October 22.
Under the resolutions, the government also approved the payment of peculiar allowance arrears effective from May 1, 2026, in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November, and agreed to settle 19 months of outstanding allowances for health workers within three months beginning December 2026.
On tax relief for workers, both parties agreed that the matter would be referred to the NLC’s National Executive Council, as taxation is a statutory matter.
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On the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), the Commission is expected to update the cost implications within three weeks to enable the Presidential Committee on Salaries to decide on the proposed adjustment.
However, both parties failed to agree on the effective date for implementing the national minimum wage. They agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and begin meetings immediately.
Both parties agreed to reconvene after one month to assess progress, while urging state and local governments to adopt the intervention measures.
Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the N70,000 transport allowance, describing it as inadequate and unsustainable.
The TUC is demanding an immediate permanent baseline salary increase, proposing that the lowest-paid federal civil servant should earn a minimum of N300,000.
Labour leadership argued that short-term palliatives fail to provide lasting relief amid soaring cost of living, noting that several state governments have already implemented baseline pay above N100,000, which shows the federal government has the fiscal capacity for a comprehensive pay restructuring without waiting for new minimum wage negotiations.
The Congress called on federal negotiators to return with a structured, long-term wage adjustment framework to avert industrial disharmony.
