Follow Us on Google
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has insisted on a sustainable salary increase for Nigerian workers, despite the Federal Government’s recent approval of a N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public servants for six months.
The Congress argued that temporary interventions would not adequately address workers’ declining purchasing power, insisting that a salary increase remained necessary to improve their living standards.
The position was contained in a communiqué signed by the TUC Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro, and issued at the end of an emergency meeting of the National Administrative Council (NAC) of the Congress.
The Federal Government had, on October 27, reached an agreement with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to pay federal public servants N70,000 monthly as transport support for six months, beginning from November 2026.
The agreement followed conciliation meetings between the government and the NLC leadership over rising living costs, workers’ welfare and outstanding labour demands.
However, the TUC kicked against it, maintaining that workers need a lasting improvement in their earnings rather than another temporary wage intervention.
It recalled that the Federal Government failed to fully implement the 10-month wage award palliative agreed upon on October 2, 2023, noting that workers received an average of only three months’ payment before the new minimum wage was signed into law on July 29, 2024.
The Congress said: “The NAC reiterated that Congress is demanding a salary increase and not another wage award, particularly in view of the Federal Government’s failure to fully implement the wage award palliative agreed upon on 2nd October 2023, which was intended to run until the new minimum wage was signed into law on 29th July 2024.
“Under the agreement, workers received an average of only three months out of the 10 months agreed upon.”
Other News
It added that a sustainable salary increase would provide a more meaningful intervention to improve workers’ purchasing power and living standards.
The council also stressed that the national minimum wage was a statutory floor and not a ceiling on workers’ earnings, reaffirming its position as stated in the Congress’ October 21, 2026 press release.
Meanwhile, the TUC acknowledged the positions of some of its public-sector affiliates, including the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRAI), the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) and the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC).
It maintained that workers’ welfare could not be advanced by disregarding the collective bargaining rights of affected unions or undermining their legitimate representation in negotiations concerning their conditions of service.
The Congress further reaffirmed its status as a recognised trade union centre with the mandate to represent, defend and negotiate on behalf of its members, in line with International Labour Organisation Conventions 87 and 98, which guarantee freedom of association and collective bargaining rights.
It said it would pursue constructive and result-oriented engagement with the government towards implementing resolutions reached at its October 8, 2026 NAC meeting in Abuja and addressing the barriers confronting federal and state government employees.
The council also urged its leaders to redirect their attention towards securing improved salaries for workers through engagement with relevant stakeholders rather than public exchanges on the matter.
It stressed that the Congress remained committed to purposeful leadership that delivers tangible benefits to workers.
