The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says the recent spike in petrol prices occasioned by the ongoing war in the Middle East is a direct assault on Nigerians, calling on the federal government to intervene.
In a statement titled ‘Save Nigerians From This Shock: An Urgent Relief Has Become Necessary”, Joe Ajaero, NLC’s president, said workers are bearing the consequences of a global crisis they did not create.
Ajaero said the military escalation involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has sent shockwaves through global oil markets, leading to a spike in petrol prices in Nigeria.
“Consequently, petrol prices in Nigeria have skyrocketed to between N1,170 and N1,300 per litre. This is a direct assault on the Nigerian people,” the statement reads.
“While imperialist rivalries play out with bombs abroad, our working class is bombarded with poverty and hunger because we have refused to ensure that our public refineries are operational.
“This crisis has brutally exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s downstream sector, tearing off the mask of those who claimed local refining made us immune.
“The Dangote Refinery has adjusted its prices in lockstep with global volatility, passing the burden directly to the masses. This makes a lie of comfortable narratives about meeting domestic demand.
“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 NLC warned of the danger of sabotaging our refineries to create a monopoly.”
The union said the government must immediately halt the vandalism of the public sector and ensure the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries resume operations.
NLC SEEKS IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION TO CUSHION HIGH COST OF LIVING
The group said the rising cost of petrol and diesel has made transportation increasingly unaffordable for workers, worsening the country’s cost-of-living crisis.
The labour union said the federal government must urgently intervene to address the situation, calling for an immediate wage award and the introduction of a cost-of-living allowance (COLA) for workers.
“An expansion and overhaul of Cash Transfers to ensure transparency and that they reach the most vulnerable, with increased value to match inflation,” the NLC said.
“Immediate Tax Reliefs for Workers and a stoppage of all regressive taxes on low-income earners, including the proposed tax on the informal economy. Taxing the minimum wage is extortion.
“A timeline for the full-scale operationalization of all public refineries. The Nigeria state must be held accountable for billions spent on turnaround maintenance.”
The union also called on the government to engage workers and citizens in sincere social dialogue, warning against using the Middle East crisis as an excuse to further impoverish Nigerians.
The US‑Iran war has disrupted crude oil supply, with Iran’s drone attack forcing Saudi Aramco to shut down its oil refinery, and global shippers suspending operations in major routes like the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal over the escalating security risks in the Middle East.
This has led to an unprecedented volatility in the global crude oil market, with Brent surging above a $100 per barrel on March 9, the highest since July 2022 — before easing to $90.
With the war rattling the global oil market, Dangote refinery has increased its ex-gantry price from N774 before the war to N1,075.
Following the spike in crude oil and ex-gantry petrol prices, retail stations’ pump prices have skyrocketed, resulting in transport fares doubling on some major routes in Nigeria.
According to a survey conducted by Reporters, it was observed that the price of petrol — which surged past N1,000 per litre on March 7 — continued to rise in several states, including Lagos, Ogun, and Kaduna.
Wale Edun, the minister of finance, recently said the federal government will not intervene to regulate petrol prices as escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to create volatility in global oil markets.
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