Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to urgently introduce relief measures to cushion the economic hardship facing millions of Nigerians following the recent spike in petrol prices.
In a statement issued by its president, Joe Ajaero, the labour union said the sharp increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to between N1,170 and N1,300 per litre has worsened the cost-of-living crisis for workers and ordinary citizens.
The labour body blamed the situation partly on global tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which have rattled international oil markets.
According to the union, “The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) voices the collective anguish of millions of Nigerian workers bearing the brutal cost of a global capitalist crisis they did not create.”
It added that the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East has triggered instability in global energy markets, with direct consequences for Nigeria’s domestic fuel prices.
“The military escalation involving the US, Israel, and Iran has sent shockwaves through global oil markets. Consequently, petrol prices in Nigeria have skyrocketed to between N1,170 and N1,300 per litre,” the statement said.
Fuel Price Hike ‘Direct Assault’ on Nigerians
The NLC described the rising fuel prices as a severe burden on citizens already struggling with economic hardship.
“This is a direct assault on the Nigerian people. While imperialist rivalries play out with bombs abroad, our working class is bombarded with poverty hunger because we have refused to ensure that our public refineries are operational,” the congress said.
It argued that the situation has exposed the vulnerability of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, despite claims that local refining would protect the country from global price volatility.
The union also noted that the Dangote Refinery had adjusted its prices in response to global market trends, a move it said ultimately shifts the burden onto consumers.
“As long as we remain dependent on a market-driven pricing structure tied to global vicissitudes, and refuse to bring our public assets to life, we will remain hostages to wars and speculators,” the statement added.
Call to Revive Refineries
The NLC urged the Federal Government to urgently revive Nigeria’s public refineries to stabilise fuel supply and pricing.
It specifically called for the resuscitation of the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries.
“The government must immediately halt the vandalism of the public sector and bring the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries back on stream; not as a favour, but as a right of the Nigerian people to cushion themselves from a hostile global order,” Ajaero said.
Workers Struggling Under Rising Costs
The labour union warned that rising fuel costs are driving up transportation fares and food prices, further squeezing workers’ already strained incomes.
“The cost of PMS and AGO has made transportation a noose around workers’ necks. Food inflation is galloping, and meager wages are being swallowed by this induced scarcity,” the NLC stated.
It cautioned that the situation could worsen if urgent action is not taken.
“When a worker cannot afford to go to work, the economy stops. When a family cannot afford three meals a day, society sits on a keg of gunpowder,” the statement added.
NLC’s Demands to Government
To ease the hardship on Nigerians, the labour movement demanded several immediate policy interventions.
These include:
An immediate Wage Award and Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for workers to cushion the rising cost of living.
Expansion and reform of cash transfer programmes to ensure transparency and improved support for vulnerable Nigerians.
Immediate tax relief for workers and a halt to what it described as regressive taxation, including proposals to tax the informal sector.
A clear timeline for the full operation of all public refineries after billions spent on maintenance.
The union stressed that workers should not continue to bear the brunt of economic challenges.
“Nigerian workers are being pauperized and massively suffering. We are not a statistic; we are the engine of this nation. When the engine overheats, the entire vehicle crashes,” the statement said.
Oil Windfall Must Benefit Nigerians
The labour body also cited projections by the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) indicating that Nigeria could earn about N30 trillion in oil windfall due to the Middle East crisis.
According to the NLC, the expected revenue should be used to cushion the impact of the fuel price hike on citizens.
“The about N30trn (Thirty Trillion Naira) only Oil windfall expected to accrue to Nigeria as a result of the current Middle East war must not grow wings like the Gulf Oil windfall but should be invested in Nigerian people,” the statement noted.
The union concluded by urging the government to begin sincere dialogue with labour and the broader public to address the worsening economic conditions.
“Using the Middle East war as an excuse to further impoverish Nigerians is unacceptable. The primary duty of government is to ensure the welfare of the citizenry. We demand action. We demand justice. We demand survival.”