Relief has come the way of workers as the federal government has approved a monthly transport allowance of N70,000 for public service workers across all levels for six months, beginning in November 2026, to cushion the impact of rising living costs.
The approval was disclosed in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) sent out at the end of a conciliation meeting between government representatives and leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja on Tuesday.
The MoU was signed by director-general of the budget office; Tanimu Yakubu and
NLC president; Joe Ajaero, permanent secretary of the service welfare office in the office of the head of the civil service of the federation Garba Abdul and minister of labour and employment.
Muhammad Dingyadi
The meeting came after weeks of threats of industrial action by organised labour over the soaring cost of living, workers’ welfare and outstanding agreements.
According to the MoU, the government also approved the payment of peculiar allowance arrears dating back to May 1, 2026, in three equal monthly instalments starting in November.
Although the parties failed to agree on the effective date for implementing the national minimum wage, they agreed to constitute a committee to negotiate the matter, with meetings to commence immediately.
The MoU also outlined agreements on outstanding allowances, health workers’ remuneration, tax relief and hazard allowances for agricultural officers.
The document said the NLC leadership expressed concern over the federal government’s attitude towards the issues raid.
Responding, the government said it “fully respects the right of the congress to advocate for improved working conditions for Nigerian workers and is genuinely trying to address every aspect of it through a structured intervention.”
However, the document, did not specify when the N70,000 allowance would be paid each month or provide details of the administrative arrangements for its disbursement.
