Ogun approves weekly day off, N10,000 transport allowance for civil servants

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Key points

• Ogun introduces weekly day off for civil servants amid rising fuel costs
• Workers to receive N10,000 monthly transport allowance for three months
• Essential service workers exempted from day-off policy

Main story

The Ogun State Government has approved a weekly day off and a N10,000 monthly transport allowance for civil servants as part of measures to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices and cost of living.

Governor Dapo Abiodun approved the intervention, which will run for an initial period of three months beginning from April 2026.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Head of Service, Kehinde Onasanya.

According to Onasanya, the measures are aimed at providing relief to workers grappling with increased transportation costs following recent hikes in petrol prices.

“Towards providing succour to the teeming workforce of Ogun State in light of the hike in the pump price of fuel in the country and its attendant impact on the cost of transportation and general standard of living, Gov. Dapo Abiodun has approved one day off duty in a week for workers in the state,” he said.

He added that the weekly day off would complement the payment of a ₦10,000 special transport allowance as palliatives for three months.

The issues

The policy comes amid growing concerns over the rising cost of living, driven largely by higher fuel prices, transportation costs and inflationary pressures across the country.

While the intervention is expected to ease financial strain on workers, it also raises questions about service delivery and operational efficiency within the state’s public sector.

What’s being said

Onasanya noted that the initiative is designed not only to provide relief but also to enhance productivity among civil servants.

He, however, clarified that workers on essential duties—including medical personnel, judicial officers, teachers, security personnel and heads of departments—will be exempted from the weekly day-off arrangement, although they will still benefit from the transport allowance.

He further stated that accounting officers in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) would determine suitable days off for eligible staff to ensure that government services are not disrupted.

The Head of Service commended the governor for what he described as a timely intervention and urged workers to reciprocate the gesture with improved dedication and efficiency.

What’s next

The policy is expected to be reviewed after the initial three-month period, with its impact on worker welfare and service delivery likely to inform future decisions by the state government.

Bottom line

Ogun State’s introduction of a weekly day off and transport allowance reflects growing subnational efforts to cushion the economic impact of rising fuel costs, even as governments balance worker welfare with the need to maintain efficient public service delivery.