N70,000 Transport Allowance: Public Service Unions Back NLC as Labour Rift Deepens

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The disagreement between the two Labour centres over federal government’s approved N70,000 transportation allowance seemed to be deepening as Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) has backed Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against Trade Union Congress (TUC) which rejected allowance.

National Secretary of JNPSNC, Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo, said in circular to affiliate unions and state councils that agreement leading to approval was product of constructive engagement and exhaustive negotiation.

He said the meeting was presided over by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Mohamed Maigari Dingyadi, and attended by labour team led by NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero with the participation of leadership of JNPSNC and Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU).

According to the circular, the meeting was tough and lasted more than six hours before both sides reached terms.

Olowoyo said the N70,000 transportation allowance to be paid for next six months to public servants starting November 2026 is meant to subsidize unbearable transportation cost being experienced by workers.

He expressed hope the state and local governments with humongous allocations will be patriotic enough to concur with the agreement to complement the federal government effort to ameliorate hardship of workers and dependants.

He said agreement also cemented implementation of long overdue 40 per cent peculiar allowance reflecting N70,000 minimum wage, which ought to have started since July 2024 when new minimum wage commenced.

Allowance will be domesticated at sub-national levels from November 2026 while arrears from May 1, 2026 will be paid in three tranches.

Olowoyo noted the federal government agreed to set up tripartite negotiation committee comprising government, labour and NECA representatives with immediate effect, which formed focal request from JNPSNC under Comrade Benjamin Anto Uyanto that necessitated three-day warning strike called on October 2, 2026.

He disabused the notion that NLC is union of junior workers, saying all unions affiliated to NLC have members across Ministries, Departments and Agencies up to Directorate level.

He said clarification became necessary because of position taken by TUC which rejected allowance though it was never part of discussion.

“TUC has explicit right to express opinion on any matter it is directly involved but not on what it was not part of at any stage of engagement or negotiation with the federal government,” he said.

He however said it would be commendable if TUC can secure higher amount above N70,000 already agreed by NLC, JNPSNC and JOHESU.

The circular added that the meeting also resolved other long-standing issues including CONHESS adjustment demand for past 13 years, with National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) given three weeks to finish work and forward to Presidential Committee on Salaries headed by the Minister of Finance for approval.

It approved payment of 19-month arrears of health workers allowances in three installments from December 2026, and resolved issuance of circular for hazard allowance to agricultural professional officers within three weeks.

On tax relief, it was agreed the matter will be presented to National Economic Council as it involves the federal and state governments.

The meeting gave window of one month to reconvene to evaluate implementation level.

Olowoyo said rejection of any item by any trade union is inconsequential to implementation because wider spectrum of workers has applauded decision as right step in right direction.