The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 monthly transport allowance for federal workers, saying a permanent salary increase would provide more meaningful relief to workers.
The union said the government has the capacity to raise the salary of the lowest-paid worker to N300,000 from the current N70,000 minimum wage without waiting for a review of the minimum wage.
The position was contained in a statement jointly signed by TUC President-General, Festus Osifo, and Secretary, Nuhu Toro, following the agreement reached between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on measures to ease the economic hardship facing workers.
Under the agreement, the Federal Government is expected to provide a N70,000 transport intervention to workers for six months beginning from November 2026.
However, TUC described temporary wage awards as inadequate and unsustainable, arguing that workers need improved salaries and broader measures to cushion the rising cost of living.
The union also expressed concern over the incomplete implementation of the N40,000 wage award agreed between the Federal Government and organised labour in October 2023.
According to the TUC, some workers are still owed one or two months of the previous wage award, while others did not receive it at all.
The union questioned the decision to introduce another temporary wage award when previous commitments had not been fully implemented.
TUC further called for wage justice, social protection, reduction in the cost of essential goods and services, timely payment of salaries and pensions, protection of existing jobs and measures to revitalise the productive sector.
It also maintained that negotiations over a new national minimum wage should not be used as a reason to delay an urgent increase in workers’ pay.
The union said it would await the outcome of further discussions between the government and labour before determining its next line of action.
