Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government’s planned ₦70,000 monthly transport allowance for public service workers, describing it as inadequate to cushion the impact of rising living costs on Nigerian households.
Atiku, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate in the 2027 election, said the allowance, scheduled to run for six months from November 2026, would do little to address the broader economic difficulties facing workers, businesses and families.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that the intervention failed to address rising costs of food, electricity, rent and other essential goods and services.
He said the allowance was insufficient, noting that at an assumed petrol price of about ₦1,400 per litre, ₦70,000 would purchase approximately 50 litres of petrol.
“At about ₦1,400 per litre, ₦70,000 buys roughly 50 litres of petrol. What meaningful difference can 50 litres make over an entire month?” he asked.
The former vice-president accused the government of responding to economic hardship with temporary payments rather than addressing the underlying causes of rising living costs.
“The Tinubu administration is scrambling from one announcement to another, showing its failure to grasp the crisis. The cost of living crisis reaches beyond transport: energy, food, rent and other essentials affect every part of daily life,” he added.
He argued that the intervention would leave out a significant proportion of Nigerians, including private-sector employees, traders, small-business owners, transport operators and people working in the informal economy.
“If public service workers receive ₦70,000 monthly for transport from November, what happens to private sector workers, traders, small businesses, transport operators and millions without formal jobs?
“The public workforce is only a fraction of Nigeria’s population. A temporary allowance for some cannot solve a national crisis,” he argued.
He also called on the Federal Government to clarify the payment schedule and eligibility criteria for the allowance, while expressing concern over what he described as the unresolved effective date for a new minimum wage.
Atiku urged the government to provide clear information on when wage negotiations would produce a decision, arguing that workers needed lasting improvements in their earnings rather than temporary assistance.
He acknowledged that the allowance could provide some relief but maintained that its six-month duration would not reverse the economic pressures facing households and businesses.
“Any genuine relief is welcome, but a six month allowance cannot undo this hardship,” he said.
The ADC chieftain also faulted the government’s fuel and transport interventions, including its compressed natural gas programme, arguing that they had failed to deliver the promised relief to Nigerians.
He described the announcements as a recurring pattern of temporary measures that had not significantly reduced the cost of commuting or operating businesses.
“These rushed announcements smack of political bribery and corruption. Tinubu has shown no genuine intention of clearing the monumental mess caused by his hasty subsidy removal. He offers temporary payments instead of confronting the consequences,” Atiku stated
He further criticised the removal of petrol subsidy, insisting that the administration should reconsider its approach to fuel pricing and adopt policies capable of lowering costs for consumers.
Atiku proposed a transparently managed production subsidy for fuel refined in Nigeria, which he said could provide relief at the pump while supporting domestic refining.
“Tinubu must not punish 250 million Nigerians for the corruption and leakages of a few thousand,” he said.
The former vice-president maintained that the government should prioritise policies that reduce the cost of living, increase household incomes and make businesses more affordable to operate.
“What Nigerians are witnessing is a government that set the house ablaze with its reckless policies, then pretends to fight the inferno by throwing ice cubes at the flames,” he said.
The Federal Government’s planned transport allowance comes amid continued pressure on household budgets following the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023 and subsequent increases in transport and other living costs.
The subsidy removal, alongside exchange-rate reforms, has contributed to higher prices across several sectors, although the extent of the impact varies by location and household circumstances.
The government has introduced various measures aimed at cushioning the effects of the reforms, including transport-related interventions and the promotion of CNG as a cheaper alternative to petrol and diesel.
However, the adequacy, reach and implementation of such measures have remained subjects of debate among political parties, labour groups and other stakeholders.
Atiku said his campaign would pursue policies aimed at lowering living costs, increasing household incomes and restoring the dignity of work.
“Nigerians need lasting relief, decent wages and an economy that rewards honest work. When will life become affordable again?” he asked.
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