Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government’s proposed ₦70,000 monthly transport allowance for public service workers, describing it as inadequate to address Nigeria’s rising cost of living.
Atiku said the allowance, scheduled to begin in November, was a temporary response to the economic hardship facing Nigerians, arguing that the crisis extended beyond transportation to food, electricity, rent and other essential needs.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said the government had failed to address the wider effects of rising living costs on households and businesses.
“The Tinubu administration is scrambling from one announcement to another, showing its failure to grasp the crisis. The cost of living crisis reaches beyond transport: energy, food, rent and other essentials affect every part of daily life,” he said.
The former vice-president cited the challenges facing small businesses and households, including higher electricity costs for barbers, increased cooking expenses for restaurant operators and rising fuel costs for school bus operators.
He questioned why the proposed allowance was limited to public service workers when private-sector employees, traders, transport operators and millions of Nigerians outside formal employment were also affected.
“A temporary allowance for some cannot solve a national crisis,” Atiku said.
He also called on the government to clarify the allowance’s eligibility requirements, payment schedule and duration, while demanding progress on negotiations over a new minimum wage.
Atiku further questioned the value of the proposed support against prevailing petrol prices. He noted that at approximately ₦1,400 per litre, ₦70,000 would purchase about 50 litres of petrol.
“What meaningful difference can 50 litres make over an entire month?” he asked.
The ADC presidential candidate accused the Tinubu administration of relying on temporary payments rather than addressing the underlying causes of economic hardship. He also criticised previous interventions, including the compressed natural gas (CNG) programme and the government’s 90-day cost-of-living relief plan, claiming they had failed to provide sufficient relief.
As an alternative, Atiku proposed a transparently managed production subsidy for fuel refined in Nigeria, arguing that it could help reduce pump prices while limiting corruption and financial leakages.
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He maintained that Nigerians needed sustainable policies to lower living costs, increase household incomes and improve workers’ purchasing power rather than temporary allowances.
“N70,000 may help with transport, but it cannot explain why work, food and running a business have become unaffordable. Nigerians need lasting relief, decent wages and an economy that rewards honest work,” he said.
