NLC President Joe Ajaero says the TUC was not part of negotiations with the Federal Government, as the labour dispute over the six-month transport allowance exposes differing positions on workers’ welfare and salary increases.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has questioned the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over its opposition to the Federal Government’s proposed ₦70,000 monthly transport allowance for public service workers.
Ajaero said the NLC negotiated the agreement independently with the Federal Government, stressing that the TUC was neither part of the negotiations nor a signatory to the deal.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Thursday, October 29, Ajaero expressed surprise at the TUC’s opposition to an agreement it did not participate in negotiating.
He maintained that the NLC had made its position clear from the outset, adding that the TUC could have pursued separate negotiations with the government if it wanted a different outcome.
The NLC president also suggested that the TUC could have negotiated for a higher allowance, allowing both labour centres to pursue their respective positions on workers’ welfare.
The disagreement followed the Federal Government’s approval of a ₦70,000 monthly transport intervention for public service workers for six months, beginning in November 2026.
The agreement was reached at a conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the NLC in Abuja on October 27, following renewed pressure over rising living costs, workers’ welfare and outstanding labour agreements.
Under the arrangement, eligible workers could receive a total of ₦420,000 over the six-month period, subject to the applicable implementation arrangements.
However, the TUC has opposed the temporary allowance, arguing that such interventions are insufficient to address the economic challenges confronting Nigerian workers.
The congress has instead called for an immediate salary increase, proposing that the Federal Government raise the salaries of its lowest-paid workers to ₦300,000, alongside corresponding adjustments for other salary grades.
The TUC has also raised concerns about outstanding obligations relating to previous wage awards and the unresolved adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for health workers.
The disagreement between the two labour centres comes amid continuing discussions over workers’ welfare, minimum wage implementation and measures to cushion the effects of rising living costs.
Meanwhile, the October 27 agreement between the Federal Government and the NLC also addressed the payment of outstanding peculiar allowance arrears in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November 2026.
The latest dispute highlights differing approaches by the country’s two major labour centres to securing improved remuneration and welfare for workers, with the NLC defending the negotiated transport intervention while the TUC continues to demand a more substantial salary increase.
