By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

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, to cushion the impact of rising living costs.

The approval was one of the resolutions reached at a conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Abuja on Tuesday, following renewed pressure from organised labour over the cost of living, workers’ welfare and outstanding agreements.

The government also approved the payment of peculiar allowance arrears, effective from May 1, 2026, in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November.

However, the parties failed to agree on the effective date for implementing the national minimum wage, although they agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meetings immediately.

The resolutions were contained in a memorandum of understanding signed at the end of the meeting by the Director-General of Budget, Timi Yakubu; NLC President, Joe Ajaero; the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Garba Abdul S.U.; and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.

The document, titled ‘Resolutions Reached at a Conciliation Meeting Held at Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment Between the Federal Government and the Leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress on Tuesday, 27th October, 2026’, outlined agreements on minimum wage negotiations, transport support, outstanding allowances, health workers’ remuneration, tax relief and hazard allowances for agricultural officers.

The meeting followed an earlier conciliation session held on October 22, 2026, convened by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to address disagreements between the government and organised labour.

On the transport intervention, the document 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.”

The document did not specify the payment date within each month or provide details of the administrative arrangements for disbursement.

The agreement comes amid continuing concerns over transportation costs and the prices of other essential goods following the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023, which contributed to rising living costs across the country.

Organised labour has repeatedly demanded measures to ease the economic pressure on workers, including reductions in petrol prices, improved wages and the implementation of outstanding welfare agreements.

The memorandum also noted the NLC leadership’s concerns about the government’s handling of its demands.

Addressing the disagreement, it stated that the NLC leadership “expressed concern over the Federal Government’s attitude towards the above issues.”

It added that the Federal Government, in response, “stated that it fully respect the right of the Congress to advocate for improved working conditions for Nigerian workers, and is genuinely trying to address every aspect of it through a structured intervention.”

On the national minimum wage, the parties agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meetings immediately.

However, the effective date of implementation remained unresolved.

The document stated, “It was agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meeting immediately. It should however be noted that there is a disagreement on the effective date of implementation.”

The disagreement leaves a key issue outstanding despite the commitment to begin negotiations without delay.

The national minimum wage became a major issue in 2024 when the Federal Government and organised labour negotiated an increase in the statutory minimum monthly wage from N30,000 to N70,000. The new rate was subsequently enacted into law through the National Minimum Wage Act.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

A ten-member independent committee set up by the federal government to investigate the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger state, has identified the cause of their deaths.

The committee found that the miners died from asphyxiation, a condition in which the body is deprived of adequate oxygen, potentially leading to unconsciousness, organ damage or death.

Jonathan Kure, chairman of the committee, spoke on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, in Abuja.

The federal government constituted the committee on September 19 following a directive by President Bola Tinubu for a “full and transparent” investigation into the deaths of the suspected illegal miners.

Tunji-Ojo announced the decision in a statement in which he listed the names of the 21 officers suspended in connection with the incident.

Two days before the committee was constituted, the NSCDC said the suspects were arrested during operations conducted on September 15 and 16 around Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, the Niger state capital.

In a statement, Suberu Aniviye, the NSCDC commandant in Niger state, said “scores of the detained suspects were found dead in the early hours of Thursday following a suspected outbreak of disease”.

Following the development, the federal government suspended the Niger state NSCDC commandant and ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

However, on October 6, the panel requested a two-week extension to submit its report on the matter.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Kure said the panel travelled to Minna and inspected the custody facility, conducted autopsies, took witness statements from NSCDC personnel, survivors, families and other witnesses, and collected documentary and forensic evidence.

He noted that preliminary findings showed institutional gaps and overzealousness on the part of some officers, adding that greater professionalism was required in handling such sensitive cases.

The committee also recommended N1.4 billion Naira compensation for deceased families and survivors.

The 10-man investigative committee proposed the sum while presenting the report to the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo on Tuesday in Abuja.Track Exec Orders

The committee’s Chairman, retired Deputy Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Jonathan Kure said that the committee proposed N30 million naira for each of the 33 bereaved families.

Kure added that the committee also proposed that N10 million naira be given to each of the 41 survivors, alongside educational, medical and psychological support.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve an external borrowing plan of $20.52 billion and €1.05 billion to bridge funding gaps under the Federal Government’s 2026–2027 supplementary borrowing plan.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the President’s request during plenary on Tuesday, stating that the proposed loans would help address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit and fund critical sectors of the economy.

In the letter, Tinubu requested approval for $20,517,755,901 and €1,045,083,643, with investments planned for power, transportation, healthcare, education, agriculture, water supply, security, job creation and financial management reforms.

“I submit the attached Federal Government 2026–2027 Supplementary External Borrowing Plan for consideration and early approval of the National Assembly to ensure prompt implementation of our projects,” the President wrote.

Tinubu said the proposed projects had undergone technical and economic assessments to ensure they contribute to poverty reduction, skills development, entrepreneurship and national food security.

He added that external borrowing had become necessary to meet the country’s substantial infrastructure financing needs.

Following the presentation, Akpabio referred the request to the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, chaired by Senator Haruna Manu, for detailed review, with support from the Committees on Appropriations and Finance.

Akpabio noted that aspects of the borrowing framework had featured in earlier government borrowing plans approved for 2025–2027. However, he said the committee would examine the scope of the latest request before further legislative action.

The committee’s review is expected to clarify the proposed borrowing arrangements, disbursement timeline and alignment with Nigeria’s existing debt management framework.