FG, NLC agree on N70,000 monthly transport allowance for workers

The Federal Government has approved a N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public servants for six months, beginning in November 2026, to cushion the impact of rising living costs.

The decision was reached at a conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, following renewed pressure from organised labour over workers’ welfare and outstanding agreements.

According to Punch Newspapers, the agreement also provides for the payment of outstanding peculiar allowance arrears, effective from May 1, 2026, in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November.

The resolutions were contained in a memorandum of understanding signed by government and labour representatives at the end of the meeting.

The document stated, “That transport intervention of Seventy Thousand Naira (N70,000) commencing from November 2026 would be paid across all levels for a period of six months.”

The NLC Assistant Secretary-General, Chris Onyeka, described the discussions as productive but said they fell short of labour’s expectations.

“It was productive, but not as we had expected,” he said.

Onyeka added, “Sometimes you win some, lose some,” noting that negotiations often require compromises.

Meanwhile, the government and labour leaders failed to agree on the effective date for implementing the national minimum wage. However, they agreed to establish a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee and begin meetings immediately.

The agreement also covers 19 months of outstanding allowances for health workers, which are to be settled over three months beginning in December.

Both parties are expected to reconvene after one month to assess the implementation of the resolutions.