The Federal Government has agreed to pay public service workers a monthly transport allowance of ₦70,000 for six months, beginning in November 2026, following a meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to address workers’ welfare concerns amid rising living costs.

The agreement was reached on Tuesday, 27 October, during a conciliation meeting between government representatives and labour leaders in Abuja. The decision is part of efforts to ease the financial pressure on workers as transportation and other essential expenses continue to affect household budgets.

Under the agreement, the allowance will run from November 2026 to April 2027. Workers who receive the full payment over the six months will get a total of ₦420,000. However, the agreement does not specify the exact dates for disbursement.

The meeting also addressed other outstanding payments owed to public servants. The government agreed to begin paying peculiar allowance arrears in November through three equal monthly installments. It also committed to clearing 19 months of outstanding allowances owed to health workers within three months, beginning in December.

Other issues discussed included hazard allowances for agricultural officers and a proposed review of the salary structure for non-physician health professionals. Relevant government agencies are expected to complete the necessary assessments and verification processes.

Despite the agreement on transport support and outstanding allowances, the government and organised labour did not reach a final resolution on the effective date for implementing the national minimum wage arrangements under discussion. Both parties agreed to establish a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee to continue discussions.

The agreement also calls on state and local governments to participate in the transport support arrangement. However, further clarification may be needed on how the allowance will be implemented for workers employed by those authorities.

The government and the NLC are expected to meet again after one month to review progress on the resolutions. For workers, the key issue will now be whether the approved payments are made as agreed and whether the remaining welfare concerns are addressed.

© 2026 Aliu Azeema |

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