NIGERIANS have questioned the timing, credibility and reach of the Federal Government’s approval of a N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public servants, with some describing the intervention as a political gimmick ahead of the 2027 elections.
Others have raised concerns about unpaid allowances and the exclusion of millions of citizens outside the public service.
The government approved the allowance for six months, beginning in November 2026, following a conciliation meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja on Tuesday, October 27.
The agreement also provides for the payment of outstanding peculiar allowance arrears in three equal monthly instalments from November and the clearance of 19 months of allowance arrears owed to health workers within three months, beginning in December.
However, the announcement has triggered criticism on social media, particularly on X and Facebook, where Nigerians have questioned whether the government can deliver on its promises, why the intervention is coming less than three months before the 2027 polls, and what relief is available to citizens who do not work for the government.
On X, several users linked the timing of the allowance to the 2027 elections, accusing the administration of President Bola Tinubu of attempting to win public support through vote-winning handouts after years of economic hardship.
A user, @dollarain2000, described the move as vote-buying, arguing that the announcement had come too late to change voters’ minds.
“Vote buying! He waits till less than three months to election to share N70,000. Too late. Nigerians will collect their money and still vote him out,” the user wrote.
Another user, @Lanko_C, questioned the government’s credibility, citing what the user described as delays in paying the previously promised N35,000 wage award to workers.
“A government that could not pay the ₦35,000 wage award within the exact timeframe it promised cannot be trusted to deliver ₦70,000 in monthly transport support,” the user said, adding that the government still owed workers their wage awards.
Odo Akaji also questioned the timing of the announcement, arguing that the government’s sudden focus on workers’ hardship appeared to be linked to the 2027 election cycle.
“But you guys said all was hunky-dory and well-meaning Nigerians were wrong in crying about the hardship. What changed?”, the user wrote.
Similarly, @seuntolarin questioned why the government was introducing transport support nearly four years into its tenure, despite its claims that the economy was performing well.
Beyond the criticisms, some Nigerians questioned the government’s capacity to implement the allowance, particularly in light of previous payment disputes.
@ComrAbdulazeez Adamu expressed doubts about whether the government had established a clear mechanism for paying the allowance.
“If you ask the Tinubu government how it intends to distribute the fictional N70,000 monthly support, it will begin to gobble and show us unnecessary data. It just has no plans or structure in doing so,” the user wrote.
Another user, posting as Black Panther Wakanda, argued that even a substantially larger payment would not necessarily change voters’ political preferences.
“If Tinubu likes, let him distribute one million naira each to workers, he will still return to Bourdillon next year by God’s grace,” the user wrote, adding that the government had been in office for close to four years before introducing the transport intervention.
On Facebook, the debate extended beyond the timing of the announcement to the number of people expected to benefit and the implications for Nigerians outside the public service.
Halilu Amanyi Abdulrahman described the intervention as a good initiative but questioned its limited reach and the government’s record on outstanding payments.
“It is a good initiative, but the problem is not the N70,000. FG (Federal Government) interventions are often characterised by arrears. What is the government doing for other Nigerians who do not work for the government?” Abdulrahman asked.
Lilian Chizoba Nwaozuzu Pilaku criticised what she saw as a failure to address the underlying causes of the economic hardship. “Always treating the symptoms and not the root cause,” Pilaku wrote.
Amusan Michael also expressed his views on the decision, saying, “They shared 2026 Prado jeeps worth N140 million each to APC youths and gave N70,000 transportation allowance to civil servants. Our fingers remain crossed!”
Another Facebook user, Eberechukwu Theopris, used an analogy to express suspicion about the new allowance.
“This reminds me of the way I used to catch chickens in those days, spilling the corn not for the purpose of feeding them but to catch and roast them. How I wish for us to be having elections every six months,” Theopris wrote.
Not all reactions focused exclusively on criticism of the government, as Suwaidang Joseph credited former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar with putting pressure on the Federal Government and argued that the development demonstrated the importance of opposition politics.
“Thanks to HE Atiku Abubakar for putting pressure on the FG. This is why we need a strong opposition in politics to put the government in power on their toes,” Joseph wrote.
An X user, Sambo Mai Hula, lauded Tinubu for the decision.
“Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed, has approved a N70,000 monthly transport allowance for public service workers at every level. Effective leadership is in motion: the figure rose from N35,000 to N70,000 in a short span to respond to current conditions. This step alone reflects PBAT’s commitment in Nigeria,” Hula wrote.
Another X user, Ojo Success shared similar view. He noted, “A welcome relief for Nigerian workers! The N70,000 monthly transport allowance will help ease commuting costs and support families amid rising living expenses. Timely implementation is key to making this support count.”
The reactions come amid persistent cost-of-living pressures following the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023, which drove up transportation costs and contributed to rising prices of goods and services.
The ICIR reports that, according to the latest MoU between the Federal Government and the NLC, a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee will be constituted to begin discussions immediately.
Other outstanding issues include the proposed adjustment to the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, verification of hazard allowances for agricultural officers and consideration of tax relief for workers.
The government also approved the payment of outstanding peculiar allowance arrears, effective from May 1, 2026, in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November. Besides, it said it would clear 19 months of outstanding allowance arrears owed to health workers within three months, beginning in December 2026.
The government and the NLC agreed to reconvene after one month to review implementation of the resolutions.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.