The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to introduce immediate measures to cushion workers and other Nigerians from the impact of rising petrol prices.
The labour centre specifically demanded the payment of reasonable wage awards to workers, the sale of sufficient crude oil to local refineries in naira and the expansion of national petroleum storage capacity to strengthen the country’s ability to respond to energy emergencies.
The demands were contained in a statement titled “Save the Situation Now” and signed by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, amid a fresh increase in petrol prices across the country.
The NLC said petrol was selling for about ₦1,430 per litre in major cities where the product was readily available, while prices were higher in less accessible areas. Recent reports have shown prices reaching ₦1,500 per litre in some states.
The labour union warned that the rising cost of petrol would have wider consequences for Nigerians because increases in transportation costs generally affect the prices of food, rent, school fees, tariffs and other essential goods and services.
It said the latest increase was coming at a time when pressure on petroleum marketers to reduce pump prices in response to international crude prices had begun to produce some results.
The NLC, however, attributed the fresh pressure partly to the resurgence of conflict in the Gulf and argued that Nigeria’s position as an oil-producing country, combined with its growing local refining capacity, should provide some protection against external shocks.
“As a nation and as a people endowed with enormous fossil resources, we are deserving of a certain level of protection or buffer against the gales from the Gulf and, indeed, other gales.”
The labour movement therefore called for immediate wage awards for workers, sufficient crude supply to domestic refineries in naira and increased national petroleum storage capacity.
According to the NLC, the measures would help cushion the impact of higher petrol prices while also creating jobs, generating economic value and addressing emerging security challenges.
The union also argued that government intervention, including temporary subsidies, should not be ruled out during an emergency.
“There is nothing wrong with the government subsidising the needs of citizens, especially in emergency situations like this.”
Ajaero said other oil-producing countries had introduced different forms of intervention and palliatives to protect their populations from the effects of the current energy crisis.
The NLC also pointed to the Federal Government’s increased earnings from the international crude market, claiming that crude oil was trading between $35 and $40 per barrel above the benchmark used in the national budget.
It argued that the additional revenue represented a windfall that could provide the government with room to introduce measures aimed at reducing the pressure on households and businesses.
The labour body further raised concerns about the supply of crude to local refineries, arguing that domestic refining capacity would be undermined if Nigerian refineries continued to struggle to obtain adequate crude feedstock.
“On a long-term basis, we are equally concerned that local refineries are importing crude. This is unreasonable and unacceptable and defeats the logic and purpose of local capacity.”
The latest demands come as Nigeria’s deregulated downstream petroleum market continues to respond to movements in international crude prices, exchange rates, supply costs and domestic refining conditions. The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has previously identified crude sourcing, logistics, transportation and domestic refining conditions among factors affecting petrol price volatility.
Domestic refineries have become a significant source of petrol supply, with industry data showing that they accounted for nearly three-quarters of Nigeria’s petrol supply between January and July 2026.
The NLC maintained that stronger domestic refining and storage capacity, alongside targeted support for workers, would help reduce the effect of international market disruptions on Nigerians.
Ajaero also criticised the Federal Government’s handling of the situation, saying the government was seeking re-election in the coming months and should not allow rising fuel costs to place additional pressure on citizens.
“The government cannot afford to stand and watch marketers inflict suffering on the citizenry in the name of deregulation.”
The labour movement said it expected urgent action to prevent the latest petrol price increases from further worsening the cost-of-living pressures facing Nigerian households.
Source: NLC statement
