FG Approves ₦70,000 Monthly Transport Allowance for Workers for Six Months, Minimum Wage Talks to Begin

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The Federal Government has approved a monthly transport intervention of ₦70,000 for workers across all levels for six months, beginning in November 2026, following a conciliation meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja.

The agreement, reached on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, also provides for the payment of outstanding peculiar allowance arrears, the settlement of 19 months of unpaid allowances for health workers and fresh negotiations on the national minimum wage.

The resolutions were contained in a press release issued by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment after discussions between government representatives and the NLC leadership. The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, while the NLC delegation was led by its president, Joe Ajaero. 

Under the agreement, the ₦70,000 transport intervention will run for six months from November 2026. The measure is intended to provide relief to workers facing rising transportation costs and broader economic pressures.

The agreement, however, does not specify the precise payment dates or the administrative arrangements for distributing the monthly allowance.

On the national minimum wage, the government and organised labour agreed to establish a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee and commence meetings immediately. However, both parties remain divided over the effective date for implementation, leaving a major issue unresolved despite the commitment to begin negotiations.

The disagreement comes amid continued calls by organised labour for measures to improve workers’ purchasing power and address the rising cost of living.

The government also approved the payment of outstanding peculiar allowances with effect from May 1, 2026. The accumulated arrears are scheduled to be paid in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November.

Although the payment schedule has been outlined, the ministry’s statement did not specify the total amount involved or provide a breakdown of the individual payments to eligible workers.

Health workers are also expected to benefit from the agreement, with the government committing to settle 19 months of outstanding allowances within three months, beginning in December 2026.

The resolution is expected to address a longstanding remuneration issue affecting eligible health workers, although the document did not disclose the total value of the arrears or the specific payment dates.

On the proposed adjustment to the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) is expected to complete an updated assessment of the cost implications within three weeks.

The assessment will enable the Presidential Committee on Salaries to consider the proposed adjustment. However, the salary structure review has not yet received final approval.

The meeting also addressed hazard allowances for agricultural workers. According to the ministry, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has submitted the list of beneficiaries and the associated financial implications to the NSIWC for verification.

The verification exercise is expected to be completed within two weeks, after which the commission will issue an implementation template. Payment will therefore depend on the completion of the verification process and subsequent implementation arrangements.

On tax relief for workers, the parties agreed to refer the matter to the National Executive Council (NEC), citing the statutory nature of taxation. The statement did not provide details of the proposed relief measures or indicate when a decision would be taken.

The resolutions also called on state and local governments to participate in the intervention process, while labour unions were urged to push for implementation within their respective jurisdictions.

Both parties agreed to reconvene after one month to assess progress on the resolutions and review the extent to which the commitments had been implemented.

The meeting was attended by the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu; the Permanent Secretary of the Service Welfare Office in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Garba Abdul; and other government and labour representatives.

The agreement represents a series of commitments on workers’ welfare, but several issues remain subject to further negotiations, administrative verification and final decisions by the relevant authorities.

For Nigerian workers, attention will now turn to the commencement of the transport intervention in November, the payment of outstanding allowances and the outcome of the renewed minimum wage negotiations.