The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has called on the Federal Government to make its proposed N70,000 monthly transport allowance a permanent component of workers’ salaries, warning that temporary financial interventions will do little to address the country’s worsening economic hardship.
The congress said the proposed six-month payment would offer only temporary relief to workers struggling with rising transportation costs and the increasing cost of living.
TUC Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro, made the position known during an interview with TVC News on Wednesday, outlining seven reasons the labour organisation was opposed to the Federal Government’s proposal.
Toro argued that previous wage awards had demonstrated the limitations of temporary interventions, citing the N40,000 wage award introduced in 2023, which he said had not been fully implemented across government institutions.
He noted that some ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), as well as government parastatals, were still owed outstanding payments under the previous arrangement.
According to him, incorporating the N70,000 into workers’ monthly salaries as either transport or housing allowance would provide a more sustainable solution and strengthen employees’ earnings.
“Why don’t you embed it into the component of salary? Say, for instance, N70,000 is added to either transport or housing allowance of workers,” he said.
The TUC secretary-general also questioned what would happen when the six-month payment period expires, particularly if a fresh minimum wage agreement had not been reached by then.
He maintained that workers should not be left uncertain about their earnings once the temporary intervention ends.
The congress further argued that incorporating the allowance into salaries could raise the effective monthly minimum earnings of the lowest-paid workers to about N140,000, while providing a stronger basis for future wage negotiations.
Toro also raised concerns over the exclusion of some public service unions from discussions surrounding the proposed allowance.
The congress said it had earlier submitted its demands to the Federal Government and that discussions were continuing with a government delegation led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Beyond the transport allowance, the TUC has proposed a N300,000 monthly salary for the lowest-paid federal worker, arguing that the government does not need to wait for a fresh minimum wage negotiation before improving workers’ remuneration.
The union has also called for the implementation of outstanding agreements with health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), including adjustments to the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
The Federal Government had announced the N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public servants for six months, with payments expected to commence in November 2026, following discussions with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The development comes amid growing pressure on the government to address declining purchasing power and the rising cost of essential goods and services across the country.
The TUC insists that workers need lasting improvements in their earnings rather than temporary financial relief.
