FG approves ₦70,000 transport allowance for public workers starting November
The federal government has approved a ₦70,000 monthly transport allowance for public service workers across all levels for six months, beginning November 2026. The approval came after a conciliation meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja on Tuesday, chaired by Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi with NLC President Joe Ajaero leading the labour delegation.
Beyond the transport allowance, the government also agreed to pay peculiar allowance arrears effective from May 1, 2026, in three equal monthly installments starting November. For health workers, 19 months of outstanding allowances will be settled within three months beginning December 2026. The Ministry of Agriculture has submitted beneficiary lists for agricultural workers' hazard allowances to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission for verification, expected to conclude within two weeks.
However, both parties failed to agree on an effective date for the new national minimum wage. A Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee will be constituted immediately to address this. Tax relief for workers was referred to the NLC's National Executive Council, while CONHESS adjustments await cost implications from the commission within three weeks.
The resolutions urge state and local governments to adopt these federal intervention measures. Both sides will reconvene in one month to assess implementation progress.
For public servants, this means immediate financial relief starting next month. For state-level workers, the pressure is now on state governments to mirror federal action. Will your state government follow suit, or will federal workers remain the primary beneficiaries of this conciliation?