The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to shield Nigerians from the rising cost of petrol and worsening economic hardship.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the recent spike in petrol prices—now selling between N1,170 and N1,300 per litre—has placed unbearable pressure on workers and ordinary citizens.
According to the labour union, the increase has significantly worsened the cost-of-living crisis across the country.
The NLC linked the latest surge in fuel prices to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
The union said the crisis has triggered instability in the global oil market, with direct consequences for Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
Describing the development as an attack on the welfare of citizens, the NLC said Nigerian workers are being forced to bear the burden of a crisis they did not create.
Citing projections by the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), the labour body said Nigeria could earn about N30 trillion in oil windfall due to the ongoing Middle East tensions.
The union urged the government to channel any additional revenue toward easing the economic hardship faced by citizens.
“The about N30 trillion oil windfall expected to accrue to Nigeria as a result of the current Middle East war must not grow wings but should be invested in the Nigerian people,” the NLC stated.
Among its key demands, the NLC called for the immediate introduction of a wage award and cost-of-living allowance for workers.
It also urged the government to expand cash transfer programmes for vulnerable Nigerians, provide tax relief for low-income earners, and set a clear timeline for the full operationalisation of the country’s public refineries.
The union renewed its call for the revival of Nigeria’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna, stressing that a functional public refining system is essential to stabilise fuel prices.
It noted that the privately owned Dangote Refinery had also adjusted prices in response to global oil market volatility.
According to the NLC, continued dependence on international market pricing exposes Nigeria’s economy to global conflicts and speculation.
“This crisis has brutally exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s downstream sector. As long as we remain dependent on a market-driven pricing structure tied to global vicissitudes, we will remain hostages to wars and speculators,” the statement said.
The labour union warned that higher fuel prices have already increased transportation costs and worsened food inflation nationwide.
“The cost of PMS and AGO has made transportation a noose around workers’ necks. Food inflation is galloping, and meagre wages are being swallowed by this induced scarcity,” the NLC said.
It stressed the need for urgent dialogue between the government and organised labour to address the worsening economic situation.
“We are not a statistic; we are the engine of this nation. When the engine overheats, the entire vehicle crashes.
“We demand action. We demand justice. We demand survival,” the union added.
