By Francis Ajuonuma
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s N70,000 monthly transport allowance for workers, demanding a substantial increase in salaries and broader measures to address the worsening cost-of-living crisis.
The congress argued that temporary financial interventions would provide only limited relief, insisting that workers needed permanent improvements in earnings to cope with rising food, transportation, healthcare and other essential expenses.
The position has opened a fresh fault line over the Federal Government’s latest intervention for workers, coming against the backdrop of complaints that previous wage awards were either irregularly paid or never reached large sections of the workforce.
The TUC said its position was conveyed to the Federal Government after its National Administrative Council meeting in Abuja on October 8, 2026, and subsequently presented during consultations with government officials.
The union maintained that the government did not have to wait for another national minimum wage negotiation before improving workers’ salaries, arguing that there was no legal ceiling on the amount an employer could pay.
*Congress pushes broader economic relief for workers
The TUC proposed that the salary of the lowest-paid government worker should be increased from N70,000 to N300,000, with consequential adjustments applied to other salary levels.
It said the proposal was necessary because the current wage structure had failed to keep pace with the cost of necessities, particularly after the economic pressures triggered by the removal of the petrol subsidy and other reforms.
“The Federal Government should review increasing workers’ salaries. This was hinged on the fact that the government does not require the minimum wage to be negotiated before increasing workers’ pay as there is no maximum wage law in the country,” the congress said.
The union acknowledged the importance of negotiating a new national minimum wage but insisted that the process should not be used to postpone an immediate improvement in workers’ earnings.
It also called on the Federal, state and local governments to implement measurable interventions aimed at reducing the prices of essential goods and services, while ensuring regular payment of salaries and pensions.
The TUC said the hardship was affecting workers across the public and private sectors, including employees of state and local governments and those operating in the informal economy.
It further challenged the Federal Government’s decision to introduce another temporary wage intervention when the N40,000 monthly wage award agreed with organised labour in October 2023 had not been fully implemented.
According to the congress, some workers remained owed one or two months of the previous award, while others did not receive it at all. It also claimed that more than 80 per cent of states and workers in the informal sector had not benefited from any wage award.
“How do we go back to the same wage award that never benefited all workers? How can workers be expected to trust fresh promises when previous obligations remain outstanding?” the TUC asked.
The congress said salary increases would offer more predictable and far-reaching support than temporary allowances, which could lapse without substantially improving workers’ purchasing power.
It urged government to move beyond policy announcements and ensure that economic interventions were adequately funded, measurable and implemented within clear timelines.
*Retirees protest exclusion as health workers await FG’s action
The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has also challenged the exclusion of retirees from the N70,000 monthly transport allowance approved for workers for six months beginning in November.
NUP National President, Godwin Abumisi, described the exclusion as unfair, arguing that pensioners were equally exposed to the rising cost of transportation and other necessities.
He said retirees depended on public transportation to attend hospitals and medical appointments, buy food and meet other basic needs, despite receiving pensions that many considered inadequate.
“Pensioners also depend on public transportation to access hospitals, attend medical appointments, purchase food, and other essential items,” Abumisi said.
The pensioners also faulted the continued non-payment of the N25,000 monthly palliative promised under the October 2, 2023 Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Government and organised labour.
The arrangement provided for the payment of N25,000 monthly for three months to 15 million households, including vulnerable pensioners. The NUP said many beneficiaries were still awaiting payment.
It demanded an explanation from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction over the delay and appealed to President Bola Tinubu to extend the transport allowance to eligible retirees or provide an equivalent intervention.
Meanwhile, the TUC accused the Federal Government of failing to implement a separate agreement reached with the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) after months of negotiations to end industrial action.
The congress said the settlement provided for the resolution of outstanding issues relating to the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, otherwise known as CONHESS.
According to the union, JOHESU suspended its strike in good faith after the agreement was reached, but the government had yet to implement the agreed salary adjustment seven months later.
“While the workers have kept their side of the bargain, the government hasn’t kept its side of the agreement,” the TUC said.
It demanded immediate implementation of the CONHESS adjustment, publication of a clear implementation timetable, provision of the necessary budgetary allocation and resolution of outstanding issues with the affected unions.
The congress warned that continued failure to honour agreements could weaken confidence in collective bargaining and complicate efforts to resolve future industrial disputes through dialogue.
“Workers’ welfare is not a privilege. Agreements must be honoured. Workers’ rights must be respected. Government must comply,” it stated.
The TUC said it would await the outcome of its scheduled meeting with the Federal Government before determining its next course of action.
