Rift in Organized Labour as NLC, TUC Disagree Over Federal Government’s N70,000 Transport Allowance

​ A major split has emerged within organized labour following the Federal Government’s approval of a six-month, N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public service workers. While the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) endorsed the deal, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has openly rejected the intervention, describing it as an inadequate temporary fix.
​The relief package was finalized during a high-level conciliation meeting between federal representatives and the NLC leadership in Abuja. Under the agreement, federal public servants across all grade levels are set to receive N70,000 monthly from November 2026 to April 2027 to help cushion the rising cost of transportation.
​However, the consensus quickly unraveled when the TUC issued a sharp rebuke of the arrangement. In a statement signed by TUC President Festus Osifo and Secretary-General N.A. Toro, the congress argued that short-term wage awards fail to solve the underlying economic pressure facing Nigerian workers.
​”The TUC rejects inadequate temporary relief and demands wage justice for all categories of workers, social protection, reduction of the cost of living for the vulnerable, and full compliance with agreements,” the statement read.
​The TUC pointed to past unfulfilled wage award promises, highlighting that a vast majority of state-level employees and informal sector workers never benefited from previous temporary reliefs. The union maintained that a substantive, permanent salary review is the only realistic path forward.
​The disagreement has drawn immediate pushback from the NLC. NLC President Joe Ajaero questioned the TUC’s public opposition to an agreement secured through negotiations in which the rival union did not participate. Expressing concern over the split, Ajaero faulted the TUC for rejecting an allowance that directly benefits workers struggling under high commute costs.
​The internal friction comes as civil servants await the planned commencement of the payment next month. With organized labour presenting a divided front, analysts warn that the disagreement could weaken workers’ bargaining power in upcoming negotiations with the government over long-term economic reforms and broad-based salary reviews.