The Federal Government’s newly approved six-month transport allowance for public servants is estimated to cost approximately N465.7 billion if all 1.1 million employee records on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) qualify for the payout.

The financial intervention, set to begin in November, provides a monthly allowance of N70,000 across all levels following a conciliation meeting between the government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja. However, the rollout has met stiff opposition from the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), which has formally rejected the arrangement in favour of structural salary reviews.

In a statement jointly issued by President Festus Osifo and Secretary-General N.A. Toro, the TUC dismissed the temporary allowance, pointing out that previous commitments, such as the October 2023 wage award, were never fully implemented and failed to reach workers in over 80% of states and the informal sector.

Rather than temporary palliatives, the congress is demanding an immediate salary increase, proposing that the salary of the lowest-paid worker be raised from N70,000 to N300,000 alongside appropriate consequential adjustments.

Furthermore, the TUC has strongly criticized the government over delayed agreements with health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), demanding the immediate execution of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustments.

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