For decades, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have presented themselves as two pillars of one house – Organised Labour. Most times when they speak they do so with one voice and governments are compelled to listen. But when they disagree, it’s government that gains to the disadvantage of workers, writes Onyebuchi Ezigbo.
Recently the two labour centres – the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) disagreed over a seemingly simple issue which is should workers take N70,000 as a transport allowance for six months, or should they insist that the money be built permanently into their salaries?
What began as a difference in negotiating tactics has grown into a public rift, with statements, counter-statements and affiliate unions taking sides. Now, veteran labour leaders have stepped in, warning that the quarrel, if left unchecked, could undermine the unity, solidarity and strength that took decades to build.
Observers of the unfolding crisis of confidence within organised Labour family of the opinion that it will augur well for the workers whose interest are better protected when both labour centres join hands to confront the government and other employers of labour.
The bone of contention in this current misunderstanding was an agreement reached between the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and NLC on October 27, 2026 with major focus on commencement date for negotiation of a new minimum wage, issues on public service welfare and adjustment of tax relief for workers.
The agreement also addressed the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) issues on CONHESS Palliative to cushion the effect of challenges faced by the workers, demands by Joint National Public Service Negotiation Council (JNPSNC) and reduction in petroleum pump price.
Other issues include, demand for payment of hazard allowance for Agricultural workers. According to JNPSNC, the agreement was the product of more than six hours of tough negotiation presided over by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Mohamed Maigari Dingyadi.
The labour team was led by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, with participation from JNPSNC and the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU). A major highlight of the deal was the N70,000 transport allowance to be paid for the next six months to public servants starting November 2026, to subsidize unbearable transport costs.
It also cemented implementation of the long-overdue 40 per cent peculiar allowance reflecting the N70,000 minimum wage, which ought to have started since July 2024. The allowance will be domesticated at sub-national levels from November 2026, while arrears from May 1, 2026 will be paid in three tranches.
Other gains listed in the JNPSNC circular signed by National Secretary, Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo, include: a tripartite negotiation committee comprising government, labour and NECA to commence immediately; resolution of the 13-year-old CONHESS adjustment demand, with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) given three weeks to conclude work; payment of 19-month arrears of health workers’ allowances in three installments from December 2026; issuance of a circular for hazard allowance to agricultural professional officers within three weeks; and a one-month window to reconvene to evaluate implementation.
On its part, the Federal Government has said it is “fully committed to ensuring that the ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiation is concluded as soon as possible and that its implementation can bring the expected relief and improved condition of service to your members.” It gave the undertaking through the Minister of Labour Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi at the opening of the National Executive Council meeting of the Medical and Health Workers Union in Abuja.
For NLC, the N70,000 is not the end of the struggle. NLC President, Joe Ajaero said it is a starting point, a foothold that cannot be taken away. “Whatever we got for you, nobody can take away from us. The N70,000 you are hearing is just an intervention. Like I said somewhere, when you give glucose to someone and it is inside his mouth, if you want to bring it out and you put your hand there. You know what will happen. So now that we have N70,000 on top of N70,000 you know where we are going to start from,” he told the 52nd National Executive Council meeting of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) in Abuja. He said the agreement was negotiated with the mandate from affiliate unions, including handling of JOHESU and JNPSNC issues, and represents a landmark achievement. Already, the move has the backing of the leadership of JNPSNC which dismissed the notion that NLC is a union of junior workers, saying all its affiliates have members across Ministries, Departments and Agencies up to Directorate level.
JNPSNC scribe argued that TUC, which was not part of the negotiation, has no basis to reject what it did not negotiate, though he added it would be commendable if TUC could secure a higher amount.
“Rejection of any item by any trade union is inconsequential to implementation because wider spectrum of workers has applauded decision as right step in right direction,” the circular said.
On the other hand, TUC sees the same N70,000 through a different lens – basing it’s argument on previous lessons where government failed to religiously implement the wage award. In its communique after an emergency National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, signed by Secretary General, Dr. Nuhu Toro, TUC reaffirmed its demand for a sustainable salary increase, not another wage award. Its argument is rooted in experience: the wage award palliative agreed on October 2, 2023 was to run until the new minimum wage was signed into law on July 29, 2024. Workers, TUC said, received an average of only three months out of the ten months agreed upon.
“A sustainable salary increase offers a more meaningful intervention to improve workers’ purchasing power and living standards,” the communique said, stressing that the minimum wage is a statutory floor and not a ceiling on workers’ earnings.
Secretary General of TUC, Dr. Nuhu Toro who spoke at the recent MHWUN NEC meeting, put it more plainly: “The NLC is saying pay N70,000 transport allowance. The TUC was not there when that was negotiated, and the TUC said, we think you should negotiate for the N70,000 to be component of the salary. For instance, if N70,000 is added to your housing allowance, it becomes part of your salary and will not be taken off after six months. So the TUC said no, let’s make it holistic so that they won’t take it off after six months. So that is the argument. It’s not any issue.”
TUC also acknowledged the positions of its public-sector affiliates — SSAUTHRIA, NUAHP and SSASCGOC — noting they are consistent with its earlier position.
It stressed that workers’ welfare cannot be advanced by disregarding the collective bargaining rights of affected unions. The Labour Centre further reaffirmed its mandate under ILO Conventions 87 and 98 to represent, defend and negotiate for its members, and resolved to pursue constructive, result-oriented engagement with government to implement the resolutions of its October 8 meeting, including the JOHESU agreement.
At it’s NAC meeting, TUC tasked it’s leaders to refocus efforts on securing a salary increase while refraining from public exchanges on the matter.
Intervention by Veteran labour leaders
Amid verbal exchanges by leaders of the two Labour Centres, concerned stakeholders especially former union leaders have stepped in to help broker peace and resolve this understanding between NLC and TUC.
Speaking at the NEC meeting of the Medical and Health Workers Union in Abuja, immediate past NLC President and former President of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said veteran leaders, including pioneer labour leader, Hassan Sumonu and other past presidents of NLC and TUC are intervening in the dispute
He said they have summoned both centres for dialogue and asked them to suspend further altercation in the media.
“The leaders have asked them to suspend any further altercation, we do not want to see any further statement. We the veterans have intervened”.
Wabba described most of the things trending in the media space about the disagreement as hype imported by third parties to undermine workers’ unity. He warned that the NLC was built by sweat and blood and must not be brought down.
He said: There are more important issues like inequality than those issues that are being imported by third parties to try to undermine workers’ unity, workers’ strength and workers’ solidarity. Anybody that wants to bring it down certainly we will not take it lightly. Unity is strength and all of us must advocate for unity of the working class.” Wabba explained that though the veterans have started preliminary engagement to settle the misunderstanding among the labour centres, there will be more meetings and consultations going forward to try to bring both parties to amicably work together to protect workers welfare.
In substance, both centres want the same thing: more money in workers’ pockets that government cannot easily withdraw. Whereas NLC argues that securing the allowance first creates a new baseline for the next round of negotiation, TUC’s position is that without embedding it in salary structure, the allowance will expire after six months, just as the 2023 wage award did.
Both arguments have merit. Both carry risk. Accepting a temporary allowance could become a substitute for real salary review. However rejecting it outright could leave workers with nothing while negotiations drag.
Considering the current mood of the workers, any suggestion that they should surrender the N70,000 transport allowance for another round of negotiation may not be an acceptable option. It may be that both NLC and TUC will have to present a common front to pressurise government to retain the N70,000 beyond the six months timeline and convert it into a permanent salary component in the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiation that government says its committed to concluding soon. If they fail, the rift could deepen, with affiliates lining up behind one centre or the other, and government exploiting the division. For now, both sides have at least agreed to one thing: stop fighting in public. Whether that truce holds and whether it produces a better deal for workers will be the real test of veteran wisdom.