The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed six-month ₦70,000 monthly transport allowance for workers, demanding immediate salary increases, full implementation of the JOHESU agreement and concrete measures to ease the cost-of-living crisis.
The congress said temporary financial relief could not replace permanent wage adjustments, warning that workers needed dependable earnings to cope with rising food, transport, healthcare and other essential expenses.
President Bola Tinubu announced the transport intervention following a conciliation meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), with payments scheduled to begin in November 2026 and continue for six months.
However, the TUC said it had already submitted a letter to the Federal Government on October 8, requesting an immediate pay rise in response to worsening economic conditions. It said the proposal was presented through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The congress maintained that the government could increase salaries without waiting for a new national minimum wage negotiation, noting that no law establishes a maximum wage. It proposed raising the lowest federal worker’s salary from ₦70,000 to ₦300,000, alongside corresponding adjustments for other salary grades.
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Why labour distrusts temporary relief
The TUC cited the 2023 wage award as a reason for rejecting another temporary arrangement. According to the congress, the previous intervention was not implemented consistently, with some workers receiving only part of their entitlements while others received nothing.
It also claimed that more than 80 per cent of states and workers in the informal sector did not benefit from any form of wage award.
The dispute exposes a central weakness in temporary relief measures: workers cannot reliably plan their household finances around payments that are limited in duration or inconsistently delivered.
The TUC therefore called on federal, state and local governments to ensure prompt payment of salaries and pensions, protect jobs, tackle exploitative labour practices and reduce the cost of essential goods and services.
Seven-month delay in health workers’ agreement
The congress also accused the Federal Government of failing to implement an agreement reached to resolve the prolonged industrial dispute involving the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).
According to the TUC, the agreement provided for the outstanding adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) to be concluded without further delay. Seven months after the settlement, the adjustment had yet to be implemented, it said.
The congress argued that the delay undermined collective bargaining and the credibility of agreements reached between government and organised labour.
It called for immediate implementation of the CONHESS adjustment, a published timetable, adequate budgetary provisions and consultations with the affected unions.
Government faces pressure on two fronts
The TUC’s position places the government under pressure to address both the purchasing power of workers generally and outstanding commitments to health professionals.
While the six-month transport allowance could provide temporary support, it does not resolve the congress’s demand for a lasting increase in earnings. Nor does it settle the separate dispute over health workers’ entitlements.
The congress said it would await the outcome of further discussions with the government before deciding its next steps.
The immediate test is whether negotiations produce enforceable commitments, clear deadlines and actual payments. Until then, the disagreement over temporary relief versus permanent wage reform is likely to remain a significant labour issue.
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