President Bola Tinubu has approved a monthly transport allowance of ₦70,000 for public service workers across all levels of government for six months, following renewed pressure from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over rising fuel prices and demands for a review of the national minimum wage.
The approval came after a meeting between the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, and NLC leaders led by its president, Joe Ajaero, on Tuesday, October 27, as the four-day deadline issued by the labour union to the Federal Government expired.
According to the Federal Government, the transport support will begin in November 2026 and is intended to ease the financial burden on workers amid rising living costs.
The government stated that the ₦70,000 intervention would be paid monthly across all levels for six months, although the report did not specify the detailed payment arrangements or the categories of workers covered.
In addition to the transport allowance, the government approved the payment of outstanding peculiar allowance arrears dating from May 1, 2026. The arrears are to be settled in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November.
The meeting also produced an agreement to establish a joint negotiation committee, which will begin discussions immediately to determine an effective date for implementing a new national minimum wage.
The development follows growing tensions between organised labour and the government over the rising cost of transportation and the purchasing power of workers. The NLC had given the Federal Government four days to address its demands, including a reduction in fuel prices and a review of the ₦70,000 minimum wage.
The current minimum wage was introduced in 2024 after negotiations between the government, organised labour and the private sector, replacing the previous ₦30,000 benchmark. However, the continued rise in the cost of living has fuelled calls for further intervention to help workers cope with the prices of food, transportation and other essential goods.
While the newly approved transport support offers temporary relief, the planned negotiations over a new minimum wage will be significant in determining whether the government and organised labour can reach a longer-term agreement on workers’ welfare.
The six-month allowance is expected to provide short-term assistance, but questions remain about how workers will be supported after the intervention ends and whether the negotiations will lead to a lasting improvement in their purchasing power.