The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) has defended the Federal Government’s N70,000 monthly transportation allowance for public servants, describing it as a necessary intervention amid rising transport costs.
Gbenga Olowoyo, national secretary of JNPSNC, said the six-month allowance was part of an agreement reached between the Federal Government and organised labour after extensive negotiations on workers’ welfare.
In a letter issued on Sunday in Abuja and addressed to affiliated unions and state councils, Olowoyo said the negotiations lasted more than six hours before both parties reached an agreement on various workers’ demands.
The allowance, which will commence in November 2026, is intended to cushion the impact of rising transportation costs on public servants and their dependents.
The council’s position comes amid disagreements between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the intervention, with the NLC defending the agreement while the TUC has called for higher permanent salaries.
Olowoyo said the agreement was reached at a meeting on October 27, presided over by Muhammad Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment, with representatives of the NLC, JNPSNC and Joint Health Sector Unions in attendance.
He clarified that the TUC was not part of the negotiations, although it had the right to express opinions on labour-related matters.
However, he said any proposal by the TUC for a higher transportation allowance would be welcomed if it resulted in additional benefits for public servants.
The JNPSNC secretary also disclosed that the agreement provided for the implementation of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance, reflecting the N70,000 national minimum wage, with effect from November 2026.
He said arrears of the allowance dating back to May 1, 2026, would be paid in three installments.
Olowoyo added that the government had agreed to establish a tripartite negotiation committee comprising representatives of government, organised labour and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), following the council’s demand.
He recalled that JNPSNC embarked on a three-day warning strike on October 2 to press for the establishment of the committee and the resolution of outstanding workers’ welfare demands.
On health workers’ welfare, the council said the meeting approved payment of 19 months’ outstanding allowances in three installments, beginning in December 2026.
It also said the Consolidated Health Workers Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustments would receive further attention.
According to Olowoyo, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission was given three weeks to conclude work on the cost implications of the adjustments and forward its recommendations to the relevant authorities for approval and implementation.
The council urged federal, state and local governments to honour the agreement, saying effective implementation would strengthen collective bargaining, restore confidence and improve workers’ welfare nationwide.
