The Federal Government has approved a monthly transport allowance of ₦70,000 for public service workers across all levels for six months, beginning in November 2026, following a conciliation meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress.
The approval was among the resolutions reached at a meeting between government representatives and NLC leaders in Abuja on Tuesday to address workers’ welfare, the implementation of the national minimum wage and outstanding allowances.
The resolutions were contained in a memorandum of understanding issued after the meeting, which was chaired by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi.
A statement announcing the outcome was signed by Annah Daniel, Head of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
In addition to the transport allowance, the government approved the payment of outstanding peculiar allowances, effective from May 1, 2026. The arrears are to be paid in three equal monthly instalments, beginning in November.
The meeting also agreed that 19 months of outstanding allowances owed to health workers would be settled within three months, starting in December 2026.
However, the government and organised labour failed to reach an agreement on the effective date for implementing the national minimum wage.
The parties consequently resolved to constitute a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee, which is expected to commence meetings immediately to address the outstanding issues.
The meeting followed an earlier conciliation session convened by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on October 22 to resolve disagreements between the Federal Government and organised labour.
On tax relief for workers, both parties agreed that the issue should be referred to the NLC’s National Executive Council for consideration, noting that taxation is a statutory matter.
The meeting also addressed the payment of hazard allowances to agricultural workers. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has submitted the list of beneficiaries and the associated costs to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission for verification.
The commission is expected to complete the exercise within two weeks and subsequently issue a template for implementing the payments.
On the proposed adjustment to the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), the commission is expected to update the cost implications within three weeks.
The revised figures will enable the Presidential Committee on Salaries to consider the proposed adjustment.
The meeting further called on state and local governments to adopt similar intervention measures to improve workers’ welfare.
Labour unions were also encouraged to engage their respective state and local government authorities to ensure the implementation of the agreed measures.
Both parties agreed to reconvene after one month to review progress on the implementation of the resolutions.
Those who attended the meeting included the Director-General of Budget, 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.
