FG, NLC Sign 7-Point Accord: Workers to Get N70,000 Transport Relief from November

ABUJA — The Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have signed a crucial seven-point resolution to address worker welfare, skyrocketing fuel prices, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis gripping the nation.

The agreement was finalized during a high-stakes conciliation meeting at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.

The session followed recent ultimatums issued by the NLC’s Central Working Committee (CWC) and National Executive Council (NEC).

The Seven-Point Resolution

According to a joint communique released after the meeting, the federal authorities have committed to a temporary financial cushion for the public workforce. Workers across all cadres will receive a monthly N70,000 transport intervention for a six-month period, commencing November 2026.

In tandem with the transport relief, a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee will be constituted to begin talks immediately. However, negotiators remain deadlocked over the specific effective date for the final implementation of the new baseline salary structure.

The agreement also outlines immediate timelines for clearing outstanding civil service backlogs.

Arrears for the approved peculiar allowance, backdated to May 1, 2026, will be liquidated in three equal monthly installments starting November 2026.

For the healthcare sector, the 19-month backlog of allowances owed to health workers will be fully settled within three months, effective December 2026.

Furthermore, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) has committed to finalizing the financial implications of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustment within three weeks.

Other critical welfare sectors are seeing immediate procedural steps under the new accord. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has forwarded its list of beneficiaries for hazard allowances to the NSIWC for a swift two-week verification exercise.

Meanwhile, the contentious demand for worker tax relief has been officially referred to the National Executive Council (NEC) due to the statutory nature of tax adjustments.

The final communique was signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi; NLC President, Joe Ajaero; Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu; and Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Garba Abdul.

Background to the Crisis

The emergency intervention comes amid severe economic headwinds across Nigeria. Since the removal of the petrol subsidy and the liberalization of the foreign exchange market, inflation has severely eroded the purchasing power of public and private sector workers alike.

Organized labour has consistently clashed with the federal government over the slow implementation of previous welfare packages. While a national minimum wage law was previously established, sustained food and energy inflation forced unions back to the negotiating table to demand immediate palliatives.

Call to States and Local Governments

The communique noted that both parties will reconvene in one month to appraise the level of compliance across all ministries and agencies.

The federal government and organized labour have jointly appealed to state and local governments to immediately key into the intervention process to cushion the economic hardship at the grassroots level. Unions nationwide have also been urged to press for swift implementation within their respective jurisdictions.