N70,000 Transport Allowance: Public Service Unions Back NLC as Labour Rift Deepens

Public service unions have expressed support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in its dispute over a proposed N70,000 transportation allowance for federal workers. The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) has come out in favor of the NLC, rejecting the Trade Union Congress (TUC) which had initially opposed the allowance.

The JNPSNC's decision comes after a lengthy negotiation process led by the NLC, involving the Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Mohamed Maigari Dingyadi, and representatives from various labor unions. The N70,000 allowance, set to begin in November 2026, aims to alleviate the high transportation costs faced by public servants.

The JNPSNC hopes that state and local governments with substantial allocations will contribute to the federal government's efforts to ease the burden on workers and their dependents. The agreement also addresses the implementation of a 40% peculiar allowance, reflecting the new minimum wage, which should have started in July 2024.

The federal government has agreed to establish a tripartite negotiation committee comprising government, labor, and NECA representatives, following a warning strike called by the JNPSNC. The JNPSNC clarified that the NLC is not merely a union for junior workers, as many affiliated unions have members up to the Directorate level.

The meeting also resolved other long-standing issues, such as the adjustment demand for the CONHESS for the past 13 years, and approved the payment of 19-month arrears to health workers in three installments starting December 2026. The JNPSNC also agreed to issue a circular for hazard allowances to agricultural professional officers within three weeks and presented the tax relief matter to the National Economic Council.