The Federal Government has approved a N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public servants for six months, beginning in November, as part of measures to cushion the impact of rising living costs.
The government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) reached the approval at a conciliation meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, alongside agreements on outstanding allowances and workers’ welfare.
Under the agreement, outstanding peculiar allowance arrears, effective from May 1, 2026, will be paid in three equal instalments from November.
The government also agreed to clear 19 months of outstanding allowances for health workers within three months from December.
However, the parties failed to reach agreement on the effective date for implementing the national minimum wage.
They instead agreed to immediately constitute a tripartite Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee involving government, workers and employers.
The resolutions were contained in a memorandum of understanding signed by representatives of the Federal Government and the NLC after the meeting.
NLC Assistant Secretary-General, Chris Onyeka, described the discussions as productive but said labour did not achieve all its demands.
“Sometimes you win some, lose some,” he said, stressing that negotiations require compromise.
Other issues remain unresolved.
The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission is expected to complete an assessment of the cost implications of a proposed adjustment to the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) within three weeks.
Similarly, payment of hazard allowances to agricultural officers is still subject to verification by the commission.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has submitted the list of beneficiaries and cost implications, with verification expected to take two weeks.
Labour’s demand for tax relief will also be referred to the National Executive Council for consideration because taxation is a statutory matter.
The latest agreement followed an earlier conciliation meeting on October 22 and came amid persistent labour concerns over the rising cost of living and the implementation of outstanding welfare agreements.
Both parties agreed to reconvene after one month to review implementation of the resolutions, while state and local governments were urged to participate in the intervention measures.
