Starting in November 2026, the Federal Government will disburse a monthly transport stipend of N70,000 to workers over a six-month period aimed at softening the blow of current economic difficulties.
This is contained in a resolution reached at the end of a conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday in Abuja.
The meeting was convened by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to address workers’ welfare concerns, following the NLC’s demands for improved conditions of service and economic relief.
The resolution was signed by Dr Muhammad Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Tanimu Yakubu, Director-General, Budget and Dr Garba Abdul, Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, on behalf of the federal government.
Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President, and Mr Olowoye Gbenga, National Secretary of the Joint National Public Service Negotiation Council (JNPSNC), signed for the labour unions.
The resolution stated that the transport intervention would commence in November 2026 and cover workers across all levels for six months.
“That transport intervention of N70,000 commencing from November 2026, would be paid across all levels for a period of six months,” it stated.
The meeting also agreed that payment of peculiar allowance arrears would commence in November 2026, with the outstanding amounts to be paid in three equal monthly instalments.
The resolution stated that the peculiar allowance had been approved by the Federal Government, effective from May 1, 2026.
The meeting further agreed that 19 months of outstanding allowances owed to health workers would be redeemed within three months, beginning in December 2026.
On the national minimum wage, the parties agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meetings immediately.
However, the resolution noted that both parties disagreed on the effective date for implementing the minimum wage.
On tax relief for workers, the meeting agreed that the matter would be referred to the National Executive Council, as taxation was a statutory issue.
It also said that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security had submitted the list of beneficiaries and cost implications for agricultural workers’ hazard allowances to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) for verification.
It added that the verification was expected to be completed within two weeks, after which the commission would issue the implementation template.
On the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), the NSIWC was expected to complete an updated cost assessment within three weeks to enable the Presidential Committee on Salaries to decide on the adjustment.
The resolution urged state and local governments to participate in the intervention process and called on unions to pursue the implementation of the agreed measures.
It added that both parties would reconvene after one month to assess the level of implementation of the resolutions. (NAN)
What You Should Know
This agreement follows recent conciliation meetings between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to address pressing workers’ welfare concerns and lingering demands for economic relief.
- Positive Impact: Workers across various levels will receive extra financial support to help cope with transportation costs over a six-month window, alongside promised arrears payments and structured settlements for health sector allowances.
- Potential Concerns: While the transport allowance offers temporary relief, unresolved debates over the implementation date of the national minimum wage and statutory tax reliefs indicate that broader labour discussions remain ongoing.
