Organised labour unions across several states have intensified efforts to persuade their respective governments to implement the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public sector workers, with some state chapters seeking higher payments to reflect local economic conditions.
The development follows an agreement between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to introduce a six-month transport support package beginning in November 2026 to cushion the effects of rising living costs on workers.
While some state labour leaders are demanding that their governments adopt the N70,000 benchmark, others are pushing for higher allowances, depending on the cost of transportation and the financial capacity of their states.
In Lagos State, the NLC Chairperson, Agnes Sesi, said the union would formally approach the state government to negotiate a monthly allowance of N100,000 for workers.
She argued that the high cost of transportation, accommodation, feeding and other essential expenses in Lagos justified an allowance above the Federal Government’s proposed package.
Sesi, however, maintained that workers should not receive less than the N70,000 negotiated for their federal counterparts.
She said, “If the NLC is asking for N70,000, it should cut across states. If the state government cannot do more, we do not expect them to do less because of Lagos peculiarity.
“In fact, we are even expecting the state government to increase ours to N100,000 because of our sacrifices and resilience. But if they cannot do more than the N70,000, we are not expecting anything less.
“Transportation is expensive in Lagos. Livelihoods are high, accommodation is high, and feeding is on the high side. Everything is on the high side in Lagos State,” she added.
The labour leader also urged the state government to commence implementation promptly rather than allow the payments to accumulate as outstanding arrears.
“We don’t want the government to drag its feet on it. We don’t want this to enter into arrears.”
In Kaduna State, the NLC Chairman, Ayuba Magaji, said the union would demand at least N70,000 monthly for workers and had commenced arrangements to formally engage Governor Uba Sani on the matter.
According to him, the national secretariat had circulated directives encouraging state and local government chapters to approach their respective administrations for discussions on adopting the initiative.
He said, “We have received a circular from the national headquarters of the Congress. As I am talking to you, my secretary and I are making arrangements, and immediately after this programme, he will write a letter to the government to intimate it about this and the need for us to commence discussions immediately,” he said.
Similarly, the Benue State NLC Chairman, Terungwa Igbe, said the union would insist on the N70,000 allowance, although it was yet to receive an official communication from the national secretariat.
The state government, however, said discussions on the proposed package had not commenced. The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Solomon Iorpev, nevertheless expressed confidence that Governor Hyacinth Alia would support initiatives aimed at reducing the financial burden on residents.
In Bayelsa, the NLC Chairman, Barnabas Simon, insisted that workers in the state should benefit from the agreement, arguing that the economic challenges confronting the state were not different from those experienced elsewhere in the country.
He said, “Bayelsa State is not operating a different economy from other states. We are not living under a separate economic system. Whatever affects other states also affects Bayelsa. Therefore, Bayelsa should not be left out of the implementation of the resolution.”
In Kebbi State, the labour union has begun lobbying members of the State House of Assembly to support its proposed transport allowance, which would range between N40,000 and N70,000 monthly.
The state NLC Chairman, Murtala Usman, explained that the final amount would depend on the government’s financial capacity and the different categories of workers.
“I have already commenced lobbying for it. I was at the state House of Assembly on Thursday to speak with some lawmakers on how they can support us when the discussion begins,” Usman added.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State NLC Chairman, Ademola Olopade, said the union planned to meet with the state government to discuss implementation of the agreement.
He ruled out the possibility of the state chapter negotiating terms outside the position already reached by the national leadership.
“We can’t go contrary to what the national body has negotiated with the Federal Government. Don’t forget the TUC came up with another idea; they were not part of the decision. But we at the NLC, there’s no way I can do anything contrary to the agreement between the NLC and the government on the N70,000,” he said.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, said the government would implement its transport relief arrangement in line with the agreement between the Federal Government and organised labour.
In Edo State, the NLC caretaker committee Chairman, Prof. Monday Igbafen, disclosed that the union would begin discussions with the government on extending the N70,000 package to workers.
He, however, indicated that industrial action was not imminent unless the government refused to cooperate with the union.
In Rivers State, the NLC said it had written to the state government requesting a meeting on the proposed allowance.
The state NLC Chairman, Alex Agwanwor, said, “For us in the state, we have already written to the state government on what has been agreed between the Federal Government during the meeting with our leaders.”
However, the state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Samuel Ogan, questioned the sustainability of the intervention, arguing that a temporary six-month allowance would not adequately address workers’ economic difficulties.
He said, “It’s a good gesture, but the TUC is saying the economic hardship is beyond the N70,000 or palliative, and that it is not sustainable in the sense that it’s for a short period of six months.
“We want a situation where the government increases the wage of the workers beyond the current wage. In fact, what they are proposing, let it be there before we even go and discuss the new wage,” he added.
In Gombe State, the NLC Chairman, Yusuf Bello, said the union had received instructions from its national headquarters and would formally approach the state government.
He said, “There is a directive from the national headquarters and we will write to them (Gombe State Government). We can’t push for less than N70,000, and from there, we will go and relate with our executives.”
The Niger State NLC chapter has also taken steps towards engaging the government, although its chairman, Idris Lafene, said formal negotiations had yet to begin because the Head of Service was unavailable.
In Abia State, the NLC Chairman, Ogbonnaya Okoro, said the union would pursue the N70,000 allowance for the agreed six-month period while ensuring that the intervention did not interfere with ongoing minimum wage negotiations.
He said the union would approach the state government after receiving further guidelines from the Federal Government.
Responding, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said it was too early for the government to make a definite statement without the implementation details.
“Let us wait until the Federal Government rolls out the details for us to know how it will be,” he said.
Labour leaders in Sokoto and Kano states also said they were awaiting official directives from their national headquarters before opening discussions with their respective governments.
In Osun State, however, the TUC Chairman, Abimbola Fasasi, said organised labour had been engaging Governor Ademola Adeleke on measures to reduce the economic pressure on workers.
He attributed part of the hardship confronting local government workers to the non-release of allocations to local government areas in the state since February 2025.
“We have been engaging the governor and appealing to him to find something to do for our people due to the hike in petrol pump prices. Also, the seizure of local government allocations in Osun State has caused a lot of hardship,” Fasasi said.
In Ogun State, the TUC Chairman, Akeem Lasisi, said organised labour had yet to initiate discussions on the new Federal Government package, as its immediate priority was persuading the state government to extend its existing N10,000 monthly transport support to more public officers.
He said, “Organised Labour has not initiated discussions on this, but we have been engaging the government on ways to ease the suffering of workers across the state. One proposal is to extend the N10,000 transport relief currently offered to public officers in the state. We shall meet next week to discuss the next course of action,” he said.
The negotiations across the states come ahead of the planned November commencement of the Federal Government’s six-month transport relief intervention.
(PUNCH)
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