The Nigerian Government has approved a ₦70,000 wage award for workers, following an agreement reached with organised labour to cushion the effects of rising inflation, particularly transport costs.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in a statement on Tuesday, said it had reached an agreement with the Federal Government on the wage award, which will take effect in November 2026 and last for six months.
The award is intended to ease the financial burden on workers amid rising living costs.
About two years ago, the Federal Government approved a ₦35,000 wage award for workers for six months following negotiations with organised labour after the removal of the petrol subsidy.
According to a resolution reached at a reconciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the NLC leadership in Abuja on Tuesday, the government also approved the payment of peculiar allowances, effective from 1 May 2026.
The payment of the outstanding arrears will commence in November 2026 and be made in three equal monthly instalments.
Other agreements reached at the meeting include the immediate constitution of a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee, which is expected to begin work without delay. However, the parties could not agree on the effective date for implementing the proposed minimum wage.
The meeting also agreed that 19 months’ arrears of allowances owed to health workers would be paid within three months, beginning in December 2026.
On the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) pledged to complete an update of the cost implications within three weeks. This is expected to enable the Presidential Committee on Salaries to make a decision on the adjustment.
Regarding tax relief for workers, the meeting agreed that the issue should be referred to the National Executive Council (NEC), as taxation is a statutory matter.
The parties also resolved issues relating to hazard allowances for agricultural officers.
The meeting noted that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security had submitted the list of beneficiaries and the associated cost implications to the NSIWC for verification.
The commission said the verification was expected to be completed within two weeks, after which it would issue the implementation template.
The meeting called on state and local governments to participate in the intervention process and urged the relevant unions to press for its implementation.
Both parties agreed to reconvene after one month to assess the level of implementation of the resolutions.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the Federal Government by Tanimu Yakubu, Director-General of the Budget Office, and Dr Garba Abdul S.U., Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
On behalf of organised labour, the signatories were Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, and Comrade Olowoye Gbenga, National Secretary of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC).
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Dingyadi, also signed the communiqué.
