By Our Correspondent

A fresh storm is brewing within Nigeria’s labour movement, and this time, the controversy centres on the Federal Government’s ₦70,000 transport allowance for workers.

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero has fired back at the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over its rejection of the proposed allowance, insisting that the union cannot oppose an agreement it did not negotiate.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, October 29, 2026, Ajaero accused the TUC of withdrawing from the negotiations before turning around to criticise the outcome.

According to him, the agreement was reached without the TUC’s participation, making its rejection questionable.

“The agreement was not signed by the Trade Union Congress; you don’t kick against something you did not negotiate or never asked for,” he declared.

Ajaero went further, insisting that the TUC remained free to demand a higher allowance but should not attempt to reject the benefits secured through negotiations involving the NLC.

He said the TUC had previously distanced itself from the process, adding that it could still pursue its own demands rather than oppose the agreement already reached.

Another Controversy Erupts Over Minimum Wage Talks

But the transport allowance dispute was not the only issue Ajaero addressed.

The NLC president also distanced his organisation from the proposed August 2027 date for the next minimum wage negotiations.

He argued that the NLC did not agree to that timeline and maintained that it was inconsistent with the provisions of the law.

The latest disagreement comes amid continuing debates over workers’ salaries, transportation costs and the adequacy of government support in the face of economic pressures.

While the ₦70,000 allowance is intended to offer temporary relief over six months, the dispute between the NLC and TUC has placed the unity of organised labour under renewed scrutiny.

Now, all eyes are on the TUC: Will it stand by its rejection of the allowance, or will the latest criticism from Ajaero force a rethink?