…FG, Labour sides agree on new Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee
By Abu Adamu
The Federal Government has approved a N70,000 monthly transport intervention for public service workers across all levels for six months, beginning in November 2026, in what sources described as a major concession to organised labour amid continuing concerns over the cost of living.
The decision means eligible workers could receive a cumulative N420,000 each over the six-month period, subject to the implementation arrangements expected to be worked out by the government. For more on these developments, see KTH Daily News Updates later in the article.
Sources close to KTH Daily said the intervention emerged as one of the most significant breakthroughs from Tuesday’s conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress in Abuja.
The government also approved the payment of outstanding peculiar allowance arrears effective from May 1, 2026, with the accumulated sum to be cleared in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November. According to the latest KTH News Updates, these policies mark a new direction.
A source familiar with the negotiations told KTH Daily that the concessions reflected the government’s determination to provide immediate relief to workers while broader wage negotiations proceed.
“The transport intervention is intended to provide direct and immediate relief. It will run for six months while other measures being discussed with labour are pursued,” the source said. This aligns with recent Daily News updates about government interventions.
The agreements were contained in a memorandum of understanding reached at the conciliation meeting held at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on Tuesday, October 27. As KTH Daily News continues coverage, further updates are anticipated.
The document was signed by Director-General of Budget, Tanimu Yakubu; NLC President Joe Ajaero; Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Garba Abdul S.U.; and Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.
On the transport support, the memorandum stated: “That transport intervention of Seventy Thousand Naira (N70,000) commencing from November 2026 would be paid across all levels for a period of six months.” Further information will follow in KTH News Updates.
The document did not, however, specify the exact monthly payment dates or provide details of how the intervention would be administered.
Sources said those details were expected to be clarified as the relevant government agencies begin implementation. Stay tuned to Daily News Updates from KTH for more details.
Tuesday’s agreement followed an earlier conciliation meeting on October 22 convened by the Labour Ministry after the NLC intensified pressure on the government over workers’ welfare, living costs, and outstanding agreements.
The discussions covered the minimum wage, transport costs, outstanding allowances, remuneration of health workers, tax relief, and hazard allowances for agricultural officers, as highlighted in the latest KTH News Updates.
The NLC had expressed dissatisfaction with the pace at which some of its demands were being addressed. According to the memorandum, the labour leadership “expressed concern over the Federal Government’s attitude towards the above issues.”
The government responded that it “fully respects the right of the Congress to advocate for improved working conditions for Nigerian workers” and was genuinely seeking to address the issues through “a structured intervention.” These responses were featured in KTH Daily News Updates this week.
A major outstanding issue, however, is the national minimum wage.
Both sides agreed that a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted immediately and begin work without delay, but they remained divided over when any new wage arrangement should take effect. For real-time coverage, KTH News Daily Updates will follow up.
“It was agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meeting immediately,” the memorandum said, adding that “there is a disagreement on the effective date of implementation.”
Sources close to the negotiations told KTH Daily that the disagreement was not considered sufficient to derail the wider understanding reached Tuesday and that discussions on the effective date would continue. KTH News Updates will provide timely information as talks develop.
The existing N70,000 national minimum wage emerged from negotiations between the Federal Government and organised labour in 2024, replacing the previous N30,000 statutory minimum and subsequently becoming law.
The fresh negotiations come as workers continue to contend with elevated transport, food, housing, and other household costs. Recent KTH Daily News reporting tracks these ongoing labor challenges.
Labour has consequently pressed for additional measures, including wage improvements, relief from transportation costs, tax concessions, and implementation of outstanding welfare agreements.
Tuesday’s deal represents progress on several of those demands, although some matters remain subject to further negotiations and administrative decisions. As a result, updates will be carried in KTH News Daily Updates.
For workers, the most immediate outcome is the N70,000 monthly transport intervention beginning in November — a six-month package potentially worth N420,000 per beneficiary — alongside the commencement of payments for outstanding peculiar allowance arrears. The KTH Daily News Updates team will continue to track how these measures are implemented.
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